A sexagenarian seated on the chairs opposite lets out a loud sigh and looks our direction. His stare is enough to evoke rumblings in my stomach and chills down my spine. His friend, eyes still glued to his laptop,yells abruptly “can she be quieter!” Little do they know that this is what we’ve been trying to do all whole journey long. Unfortunately, whatever effort we make seems to only yield the desired results on 10 minute intervals.

This is the story of our lives. See, my husband and I did not birth normal children. We were told boys are a handful. Well, I’ve got news for you-we have a boy and a girl. They are both abnormal. Before you judge me and call me crazy I should tell you how I reached this conclusion-the stares we get from strangers when we move around with them and from people with normal children. They need not say anything, their body language screams judgement! I can almost hear their remarks-what kind of parents don’t control their kids- if they were mine I would…yeah right! If only I had that remote control, I would switch the modes, especially in crowded places, from hyperactive to moderate. Look at me complaining about my precious monsters, just a few minutes ago we were chatting and laughing, all the afternoon shenanigans forgotten until tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow we will step out and we will undoubtedly fight.

A few days ago one of my contacts shared a video aboard the plane with the caption “this is gonna be a long flight!” Guess what? Right behind her, kids were screaming. I felt for her. To be honest, I hate noise. Parent or not, the screams of children are enough to drive anyone crazy but children just don’t care. They cry whenever they want. The onlookers are better off because their responsibility is just to stare and curse. The poor parent will have to calm them down and further deal with the anxiety of denying other people their peace and quiet. My daughter throws the best tantrums on the plane. The last time her dad and I didn’t get close seats she put on quite a show. The flight attendants had to step in. Here’s another one of her major acts, she will walk into her seat, wear her seatbelt nicely until takeoff. Then she takes it off and decides to stand -at that critical moment. A fight inevitably ensues and she cries like someone who’s been stabbed with a sharp object. Such is the story of our lives.

Now everyone wants to capture memories, what better moment than when you are out and about! On a good day our kids ask for pictures with their meanest poses. Wait until we, the parents, identify good spots- it is a struggle! By the time the picture is taken my smile would have faded and what’s left of it would be just a mere act.

Sigh**

The rant is over.

It is a good thing to travel as a family. Our kids love it. They never hide their excitement hence their lack of self control, if any. Refreshing? I wouldn’t say that. Exhilarating? Yes.By the end of the day I am super exhausted. This doesn’t change the fact that I adore these little creatures.

My ideal holiday should be a serene place, a commune with nature, where sweet birds sing. A hammock maybe? Yes and a good read. Now that’s refreshing!