‘You Were a Child Once’ is Not an Argument

I will be a corpse one day too, I still don’t want one in my house

Photo by Pixabay

If you ever express disdain for the way an out-of-control child is acting, or just a general dislike of their company, one response is all but guaranteed:

“You were a child once!”

There are many flaws in this ‘argument’.

First off, if referring to bad behaviour, while we might be annoyed at the child for rupturing our eardrums, it’s the parent or caregiver who has control over the situation, so consider the ire aimed at them.

I got a swift telling off if I behaved like a menace to society when I was kid, that’s all I’m saying. (Shouldn’t need saying, but obviously this doesn’t include autistic children, who I appreciate may have public meltdowns.)

Who says I like myself?

If this line is uttered in response to someone saying they’re not a big fan of children in general, it’s even more stunted because more fool them: who says I liked myself then or now?

I don’t think I liked other kids that much either. From what I recall, I was a solitary child. Loved a good book more than playing outside. I would take the book outside in summer, if that counts.