h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've got two nephews and a niece (13, 8 and 1), and I have to say they have been an absolute delight the whole time. When my nephews were toddlers they were the most fun people I've ever met, we constantly had a great time whenever they were around. Watching them growing up and discovering new things every time I saw them was one of the few unalloyed joys in my life. Telling them stories and jokes, hearing a few in return, taking them swimming or down to the park was great fun for all (still is).

Nobody's mentioned how much you laugh in the presence of children. Even my niece (who can't walk or talk yet) knows how to get a laugh, and everyone's looking forward to her starting to, just because she'll be more fun then than she is now.

It's not all smells and crying. Sheesh!

Babies are easy - smelly nappies can be changed in next to no time, and noises can be silenced by a process of trial and error. OK it's a bit wearing when they can't actually tell you what's wrong, and you're sleep-deprived most of the time, but on the whole, the plus side (the fun, the smiles, the "first time"s etc) make up for it.

Teenagers - now that's a whole new kettle of worms . Can anybody remind me what the plus side is again?

They will be old enough to leave home soon?

*gets out calculator to work out how many more seconds there are to go..*

They'll look after when you're old and decrepit, at least in the hope of inheriting, if not inspired by filial love?

sprout

Teens is close to twenties, kids are great in their twenties.

Teenagers will be easy... there's not much they'd be able to do that Mrs. D and I haven't done already.

In fact I think the only things that'd cause me to lose it with these potential teenagers is addiction to a Class A drug or joining the National Front.

"Teenagers - now that's a whole new kettle of worms . Can anybody remind me what the plus side is again?"

Well of the three class loads I've got with me at the moment there's only one in here who is a real pain in the preverbial.

They're hormonal, bouncy, competative, lippy, kind, polite, considerate, caring, insitant, loud, opinionated humans. Ok, so the groups in here range from 15 - 19, and at pressent are mostly male so there isn't the iness there can sometimes be amongst the girls, but they're all at heart basically nice kids with a bit of growing and learning still to do.

They're great fun and they make my library an intersting and exciting place to be.

I heard a great acronym today ...

Meet the older children still living with Mum & Dad when they should have left home ages ago

"KIPPERS"

Kids
In
Parents'
Pockets
Eating
Retirement
Savings

An then of course you've got the parents who SKI (Spend the Kid's Inheritance).

Good on 'em. Nobody has a right to expect to inherit everything. I have told both my mother to spend it while she's alive. I can make my own way.

The outlaws need little prompting in this matter.

ive told my parents to give it to me now!

i need it more now.



if they continue giving me money i may chose them a nice old folks home!!!!!

A couple of people have mentioned the fun in "practicing" prior to becoming parents.

One day at work I bumped into an old firend. He asked if I had any news. I replied that just the day before, my wife and I had decided to try for a baby.
"Oh, you'll have loads of fun practicing!!"

Three months later I met him again.
"How's it all going?" he asked with a knowing grin.
"She's three months pregnant!"

Once! Okay, I know I'm lucky, some people try for years with no luck, and they do have my sympathy, but surely I'm not too greedy asking for just a few more tries than that??

Not at all Moonhogg... personally I expect at least a year of actually 'trying' once Mrs. D and I have got all the practice out of the way.

Peanut was a surprise. All I have to say is read the warning labels on those antibiotics.