Stop Hating Children

Have a problem with children? Hate em'? Well, there are a few steps to open your eyes and discover how to get along with these young ones....

Steps

 * 1)  Take a big long think about why you hate children. There will usually be some very rational underlying reasons why children bother you. Some common ones include:  ion that deals with kids. This will make you face your fears/anger/irritation by seeing how children interact with one another  in the context of an activity specifically targeted for children. Try volunteering for children's sport, art, dance etc. classes or volunteer at a zoo, camp, museum etc. that focuses on children.
 * 2)  Look more closely. You'll see that all kids aren't that bad. Some are actually really sweet. It's a matter of being open-minded and open-hearted.
 * 3)  [[Image:Babysitting with N8.jpg|thumb|right|180px|being with kids]]Practice with children you know first. Good candidates for getting to know better include siblings and cousins' kids, nieces and nephews, the kids next door etc. It will help if you try to let go of major expectations and just listen to them. Children will sense angst and irritability easily but they're also very forgiving if you are honest. Children tend to be very frank and forthright and this can be overwhelming for some adults who are insecure and unsure of themselves. Just remember not to take their comments negatively - children don't seek to undermine in the way that we learn as we grow older - they simply call things as they see them. Equally, children are very accepting and if you reply "yes, I am grumpy but I am trying to stop being grumpy", they'll accept that at face value and may even try to help you find ways to stop being grumpy etc.

Tips

 * Be nice to kids and they'll be nice back. Those that aren't are dealing with issues of their own, including anger, sadness, intolerance and fear. Maybe you can find it within yourself to reach out despite their behavior before they go down the same path that you have been treading. [[Image:Scream and shout.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Is this angry child who you were?]]
 * Swallow your anger. It is unhealthy for you to remain angry and to avoid the fastest growing part of our world's population - children.
 * For parents: step up and take some responsibility for raising respectful members of the community. We see far too often parents that don't give a damn allowing their children to run riot in the streets, causing all sorts of nuisance and annoyance to neighbors, but so long as the parents don't have to deal with it - they don't care. So parents, step up your game and keep your children in line.

Warnings

 * Don't blow up at a brat. Remember who is older and more mature. You.
 * If you are really angry at children or you are afraid of children, it is best to seek professional help. In such a case, it is quite possible that you are taking out your repressed anger about a lack of a decent childhood or one of the other painful reasons outlined above and you deserve to be heard out and to learn how to move on from any painful episodes in your life. Don't take it out on innocents; get help. There is no loss of face in realizing a problem and fixing it.

Related

 * How to Write a Children's Story
 * How to Raise Smart Children
 * How to Homeschool Your Children
 * How to Avoid Humiliating Your Children
 * How to Behave So Your Children Will Too
 * How to Keep Children Entertained While Cleaning