"Karen"s vs. Kids

Adults can get way too worked up about what kids are doing these days. Playing, laughing, and running through the streets can somehow lead to public explosions and displays of immaturity in adults. Sure, sometimes there is a real issue, but how we choose to respond and handle it is essential.

Kids are going to make mistakes. And mistakes will continue to be made throughout our adult lives. Every mistake made should be a learning experience. They should not have the potential to ruin their adult lives or traumatize them. For example, calling the police on children doing normal children things? Absurd. Let’s acknowledge all of this before we respond. They may be loud, they may be blocking your car or writing in chalk across your driveway, but they could be doing much worse. Their intentions are harmless.

As adults, we need to behave as such. We need to take accountability in controlling our emotions and modeling what maturity and composure look like.

Let’s go through a little mental checklist before we call the cops or run out the door flailing our arms.

Q1: Are you being harmed?

Q2: Are others being harmed?

Q3: Do you just hate children?

Q4: Have you lost your love for life?

Life is already hard on kids, now more than ever. The pressure of being perfect from the media and kids around them, less space for them to run and play. Let’s do our best to let them enjoy their youth, be carefree. Always take a moment to yourself before responding to a situation. Ask yourself “why am I upset about this?” before turning it into a bigger problem. Ask if it can be remedied by a conversation, or if it really needs a remedy at all. Childhood is fleeting, you know this as well as I do. Let them explore, and learn, and create the memories they’ll cherish for a lifetime. Let’s avoid starring in the memory of the neighborhood witch who screamed at anyone that got too close to her fence.