to not enjoy the company of some children?

YANBU

We have stopped seeing two sets of friends because their children are so badly behaved and objectionable that they have just ruined the experience of seeing our friends who we still like.

I only like my own kids/kids related to me and some of them are pushing it. You can't like everyone and some kids are just more annoying than others!

I used to be a teacher and honestly like the vast majority of children I've ever come into contact with. Even if they were badly behaved, there's usually something that is their redeeming feature.

Some, though, are just totally unpleasant and I can't even articulate why I can't warm to them. That's life, I guess. It doesn't make you a bad person :)

YANBU. I'm sure none of us like every single adult we come into contact with.

Although, to be honest, if their behaviour is unpleasant, it's down to how their parents are encouraging and expecting them to behave. So not really the kids' fault but doesn't mean that you are wrong for finding it unpleasant being around them.

I don't enjoy the company of some people, children are no exception

Of course YANBU

Children are people and you can't expect to enjoy the company of every person you meet.

Children are people. Some you like, some you don't. Do try to hide it though, they are quick to pick up on adults who don't like them.

I really only like my son.

I particularly don't like children who are overly dribly/spitty/snotty and who want to sit on your lap and get their dirt all over you.

Unfortunately, I hide my dislike very well, and kids seem to love me. This means that friends/random peoples dribly/spitty/snotty children always want to clamber on me.

Maybe I should dress as a witch to scare them away.

YANBU. I love children but there are two things I can't abide. One is when they throw all the contents or your handbag or whatever around and are not corrected (not their own fault though).
The other is their repetition of adult conversation at far too young an age. I don't think some parents realise what they repeat (obviously a lot of cute stuff) but some can be downright bitchy remarks from their mother.

On the whole though.. you can see something lovely in every child and the above is rare!!

YANBU.

If I'm honest, I can't stand most children. even my own DD drives me crazy most days

I don't particularly like other people's children. Some are ok for a limited time (and yeah, I like actual babies ), but for the most part I'm like "gah, a child! No!" Love my own to bits, but even he gets a bit much sometimes. I'm just not a kid person.

YANBU. My heart sinks around certain kids. It's the loud, pushy, ill-mannered ones that I can't cope with.

YANBU at all.

Some kids are fine, some just get my back up to be honest. Usually the ones whose mothers think the sun shines out of their bum.

Each of my dc have one particularly annoying friend who I have to bite my tongue with although most of their friends are fine.

One of the things I've realised is how little I like other peoples small children.

I nearly posted on here how much I can't stand my dds 'best' friend, she is always crying and moaning and wining and throwing stroppy tantrums she is incredibly hard work and unpleasant to be around (and I can't stand her accent) I'm trying so hard not to let my daughter see it but I'm sure she can and if I even say something mild she replies 'but Mummy x is my BEST friend'

So can't help you sorry but you are not alone

I live by the motto children are like farts - love your own, hate everyone else's. by your own I include nieces/nephews/close friends children

YY to the comment 'usually the ones whose mothers think the sun shines out of their bums'.

Sometimes I can see the redeeming features and still don't particularly like them, especially if they keep asking to hold / stroke / change my baby and I run out of polite ways to say no while the other parent smiles indulgently and goes 'oh, little Amy is just so good with babies' while little Amy is trying to rip DD2s arm off.

YANBU my neighbours DD drives me mad, and she's DS best mate, so she's always round.

She's Ok but so demanding, and comes in while I'm cooking dinner and just says...Mmmmm I like chicken...my Mum says I can stay for tea.....have you got any crisps?......I'm hungry...... and on and on.

Thank you for this thread, I have been stewing slowly in my dislike of one particular child (how very bad it sounds once written down. Shame, shame on me...)
The child in question is a Whinger Extraordinarie, terribly, terribly needy and mean spirited at that.
I shall never, hopefully, have to tolerate his company as DC have had enough of his whingey ways and have put a ban on him ever coming to play here again. Pray that this 'never' will last until they are in 6th form.

[Ashamed and relieved simultaneously. Bless the anonymous message boards.]

Hell is other people's children...

I think there is some sort of chemical released when you have children. Thereafter other people's children are faintly repugnant whereas your own are practically edible.

I find it especially with toddlers and their bodily fluids [barf]

Well....I do like most children. But I find that as mine get older I have less interest in and patience for the small ones, say, under 2.

I agree with whoever said a lot of it is not the child's fault - they have been allowed to behave like that. I even don't mind children being naughty if they listen when I tell them to stop, which most of them do.

I don't like sneaky children so much (I know one or two), but then I don't like sneaky adults either. One of dd's friends is very sneaky, but she has been totally spoilt and treated as a princess all her life, so again, not really her fault.

YADefinitelyNBU

I have actually lost touch with a very close friend of mine because of this very reason. Her two DSs were very well behaved, but for some reason (and I honestly have no idea why), they just bugged me. I didn't like being around them and the feeling was mutual I think...

But strangely I never 'gel' as well with boys as I do with girls. I think because I grew up in a house with 3 sisters and when my 1 brother was born, I was much older (in my 20s) so didn't really have a lot to do with him. I also have a DD. I 'get' girls and don't get boys.

Recently though DD has a lovely (boy)friend at school who is adorable and a friend has an 18 month old boy and both of these, I adore. Maybe I'm mellowing...

Of course yanbu. I far prefer adult company. Am quite fond of some children but there are others who I would never choose to be with.

YANBU. I work with kids and I know I shouldn't say this but sometimes you will meet a child who, for whatever reason, you just can't take to. Much like you'd find with some adults I suppose.

Last year I came across two brothers in foster care. The eldest was a delight, but his younger brother was complete shit and I don't care who knows it. I did try and take their personal circumstances into account, but he was just so horrible. Rude, cheeky, disrespectful, aggressive and the thing I dislike most was that he bullied other kids in his class and showed no remorse for it. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him in the news one day for doing something unpleasant because he really was just such a nasty little sod.

Honestly the only children I actually like are my own. I just tolerate other people's kids, I'm really not a child person at all.