To not like other people's kids?

[needabreaknoww]

Can honestly say I don't like anyone else's kids except for my own. I don't know if something is wrong me or whether other people are like this?

In some ways I feel bad we spent Sunday with OH's nephews who are 7&9 and I just can't bare them. I'm polite and make an effort but I just don't warm to them.

I absolutely adore my own kids and love them to pieces. But that is about as far as it goes, even with mums at school they are always saying how cute DS is and how much of a heartbreaker he is going to be but I have no interest in their kids.

Am I weird? Is something wrong with me? I don't know.

I quite liked most of my kids friends when they came to tea. Some more than others.

People probably don't like your children but are to polite to say it to your face.

I prefer children/babies to adults as you don't have to deal with so much mind fuckery with kids.

That's just my personal opinion and I'm polite to everyone, I just don't say what's in my head!

Thankfully other people's teenagers are infinitely better than your own

Lol. It's like a Kevin and Perry sketch in my house sometimes when the grumpy, hormonal 15 year old has her friends over.

Kids are like farts - you can just about tolerate your own.

So true.

Some of dds little male friends were adorable. I think because we only have girls we found the little lads a novelty!

Same. I only really liked mine as small children, plus some of their cousins.

I like teenagers though, they're great.

I don't hate them. I find some kids quite difficult to engage with. Especially before they can hold a conversation. Certainly once they're 9 or 10 it's fine. But little children and babies (Especially dribbly ones) I struggle with.

I don't hate children. I just don't know what to do with them, really. When I've volunteered in primary classrooms, I'm fairly patient though. I need a purpose.

My children, however, I could spend forever with! Obvs

I used to love other peoples kids until I had my own

I can relate to this. DS(6) has used up all my patience, and I no longer have the energy and tolerance I once did.

But in general I like my friends' DC, and DS's friends. All kids go through unappealing stages (the boastful stage, the know-it-all stage, the lumpen stage etc) where you want to limit your time with them. I try not to hold that against them, because we all have to learn our social skills.

Don't read too much in to the compliments, I always say people's kids are cute etc whether they are or not. Often they are but it's not like I'm so struck by them I had to say it, it's just a nice thing to do. And people often compliment my baby dd and she isn't cute, I mean she is to me but objectively she is not conventionally beautiful.

Oh, yeah, I don’t think that is very pleasant OP. But you are not in the minority on this thread so that seems fine.

But maybe a more positive approach would serve you a bit better. Why are you starting this thread now?

I generally feel about children the same way I do about people generally. I like them if they are interesting, kind, funny, thoughtful, quirky etc. I don't like them if they are overly entitled, rude, annoying, poorly behaved, sneaky, unable to respect boundaries etc. But I do really enjoy spending time with the good ones, they are really nice to listen to and hang out with!

I actually like children but I like nice and kind children. I do however hate children who don't share their toys when it's ok for them to take away my sons or generally selfish children who think the world revolves around them, I'm not talking about little toddlers but more about the 5+ age group.

The other day I went to the park and there were a group of little girls hogging the slide climbing from the bottom to the top where I was holding DS from the top so he wouldn't crush them so a few minutes in, the little girls said to me that I was wasting my time waiting for them and I should go to another park as this slide belongs to them. I turned around and said "oh I didn't know this park belonged to you I'm sure it's the councils park" then I said " Well if you don't move, I'm going to have to let DS slide down as my arms are aching from holding him for ages and he will hurt you when he lands on you". They then moved.

Tbh I wouldn't take that heartbreaker comment as a sign they are interested in your child. It's such a generic thing to say about a boy child. I've overheard it so many times at baby classes and things. If anything, I think it's more what you say when you don't really have anything else to say but feel you need to say something!

I don't really have an interest or particularly want to spend time with other people's children either. I don't think that's uncommon.

People only say nice things about other people’s kid’s because they know it’s what the parents want to hear. It’s a fact.

I even told a mum the other day how cute her dd was when she was sticking her tongue out at me. I didn’t find her in the slightest bit cute. Rude little madam!

The majority of people would agree with you op, but nobody irl would admit it.

Yeah I only like my kids. Others I just find whiny/boring/pathetic

I love most kids. In every class I teach I usually like almost all of them - there's always a couple of exceptions but I rarely actively dislike a child. Once they get to around 12/13 though I find them incredibly annoying - most of DD1s friends drive me nuts, especially the boys. My cousins, nieces and my friends kids are mostly a bit more tolerable but generally age 12-18 I'd rather avoid

Can’t remember who, but a comedian said “kids are like farts…you only like the smell of your own” 😂

Im not massively into tiny babies partly because I hated parenting that age but when my friend had her baby by 8 months he was beautiful and now at nearly 2 he's even better. My son us 5 and I love this age. I also love ither children and enjoy watching their personalities grow.

I can understand you perhaps not being particularly interested in your nephews (by marriage), but to go as far as saying you can't bear them is a bit extreme. They are family, your children's cousins, and surely you want them to be friends. As they get older you may like them more.

However a lot of people feel as you do about other people's children in the general sense, there's nothing wrong with you.

Nope- I find most other kids annoying including my own niece and nephew. Also dislike hosting playdates and having other messy kids around.
Love my own though 😅

Someone once told me “farts are like children, you only like your own”

It’s so true!!!

You’re not weird OP, you’re human.

I too have met kids that I haven’t particularly liked and I have felt like I was being cruel but I think it’s normal to dislike kids, and more often than not it’s been the parent(s) of the unlikable kid(s) that I haven’t liked.

Just keep your dislike to yourself though, well except to tell us all here on MN but you know what I mean!

@PumpkinKlNG

No definitely not just you, I can’t stand other people’s kids and just don’t like kids that aren’t mine. I was in the park earlier with my daughter and we were playing a game and some kid came over to join in, I was thinking go away 😑

😂

I like kids, mine and other people’s. Generally I find them (as a whole) much more tolerable than adults.

That’s not to say I like every child I’ve ever met - some are rude or irritating, like some adults are. But I tend to decide whether I like them or not based on how they behave, not decide they’re annoying based on their age.