"Small children [are] deeply boring [...] and should be left strictly to those who [are] ill educated enough not to care."

[emkana]

This is a sentence I came across in a (rather silly) novel I read on holiday. It's about a stay-at-home mum with a rich husband and an au-pair who gave up a promising career to be a lady who lunches, because she's bored and frustrated. Not surprising, really, as she does nothing all day - her children are in school, the housework is done by others, voluntary work is sneered at by her. So a totally stupid cow, really. And my thought when I read the sentence in the subject line was "Well, if that's how you feel, then you really are better off at work." But then I have moments when I'm standing by the swings for the hundredth time and I DO feel bored out of my mind... so I just thought I'd throw this sentence into the Mumsnet arena and see what, if any, reaction I'll get!

I think it depends how small is small. I find dd (now 26 months) utterly fascinating and being at hoem with her is far more interesting and fulfilling than myold city job ever was. But I'm afraid I did get terribly bored by her during my first maternity leave, and don't find ds (9 weeks) all that interesting at all. It doesn't mean I don't adore him, but I do find lots of things to do to fill my two dd free days a week as just gazing at him can only occupy me for about a minute at a time.

Large adults can be pretty bloody boring too, ime.

Depends on how you approach it. You can be closed-minded and bored, or open-minded and engaged. Whether you're with small children or large adults.

What a silly statement - but that's what you want on holiday - nothing too taxing!!

I picture the author of this book, desperately tapping that keyboard, her child carer (if she has one)nowhere to be seen, her toddler crawling all over her lap, deadline looming, venting her frustration in that throwaway line!

Well, I asked my childminder today what she thought. She said she did her job because she is never, ever, ever bored and that they're totally fascinating and that endlessly saying Blue and then hearing a child say Blue is the most marvellous job in the world.

Forgot to say that I don't in anyway agree with the last part of the quote.

I, like most of you, find my dd incredibly fascinating and interesting at some times and boring and stressful at others. It's not black and white is it?