It’s the children about 8-12 I can find irritating these days. Little ones are little and do their best; teens are teens with all their own awkward battles. But it’s some of that cocky tween crowd that I find have got very unpleasant in recent generations.
At my Dc school there is a mum who had a high-flying career but is now a sahm. Her DH is drop dead gorgeous and knows it, and all the other mums flirt shamelessly with him eg saying “ hi” to the mum at a social event, then ( boobs out, hair flick) “ HelOoooooOo!!!” to the Dad, lean in for triple cheek kiss, pawing at him etc etc.
About two and a half years ago they had a Dc who has severe learning disabilities and she is so sweet with him but also completely exhausted by it and it’s obvious. She has got quite plump and haggard looking and these days is always a bit dishevelled and trying hard to field the youngest, who is generally having some kind of meltdown or trying to climb up her legs etc. You get the picture.
Anyway, I was chatting with her in a small group at pick up when a boy in her DC’s class, aged about ten, walzed up and stood for a bit observing her little Dc who was taking stuff out of her shoulder bag and biffing it on the ground. I could see she was trying to keep very gentle and relaxed but obviously worried in one half of her mind what he’d produce from the bag!
Then, because this boy was just standing gawping I said to him “Hello x” ( he has a sibling in my DC’s class so has been to our house and I know him.) He ignored me, ( maybe grunted?), turned to the lady and said to her with the trace of a sneer “ WHY are you wearing your sunglasses ON YOUR HEAD?” (She often does this- as many do - to hold her hair back. )
The woman was clearly taken aback, already feeling on the back foot with her tampons etc being launched across the playground. She kind of stammered and giggled and said “ oh! … Good question… um… well…” I felt like saying “ it’s not a good question; it’s a facetious one, full of faux naivety from a child who ought to have seen plenty of people wearing sunglasses that way.” Then the kid went for another stab: “ It’s not even sunny…”
At this point I was just thinking what a forward brat, so I said in a perfectly even tone “ Why do you need to know?” He gave me what I can only assume was supposed to be a “ hard stare” but the effect was undermined by the fact his teeth were protruding out of his mouth in such a gormless way after the shock of being stopped in his tracks. The he just turned and walked off and I felt like hollering after him “ … and WHY do your teeth STICK OUT?! “
But I have noticed a lot more of this kind of forward and unrestrained “ curiosity” in children who are old enough to know better.