Everyone thinks that they are the expert when it comes to raising kids. Every parent thinks that they have got it in the bag, or that they have come up with some revolutionary way of raising children that is going to make their kids smarter, better, more put together and far better adjusted than their neighbours kids that are clearly being dragged up next door.
Who hasn't at some point succumbed to a bit of snooty head shaking, or even worse, the tremendously misguided and self righteous diatribes of the 'when I'm a parent' brigade. Let's face it, it is always so easy to see the shortcomings of parents when you have none of your own children and are observing from a very safe 'childless' distance.
Fact is, parenting is really hard and there are a million billion things that can and often do go wrong along the road to raising your kids. Nobody has it all worked out, NOBODY! Not even the people that have like 12 kids, they just really like babies or something like that I think, but to be honest I have no idea what motivates anyone to have that many kids.
Parenting generally makes really rational people act completely irrationally, it also makes them say and do stupid things too, so please try not to be too judgmental of parents. Sure you can tut-tut the people that are clearly abusing their children by smacking them or giving them mullet haircuts or rat-tails, but just try not to be too harsh. I have been known to act like a lunatic freshly released from the mental asylum in the wake of my own children's torment and relentless punishment, particularly when they were toddlers, man that shit is hard - maximum mobility - zero brains.
I like to reflect on those moments of lunacy when I am just about to judge a parent that is losing their shit in a public place. I try to recall the sleep deprivation, the endless hours of undivided attention and detail that I have relinquished upon my children and all of the times that they made me so mad that I wanted to smash my head against a brick wall because at least I would feel some enjoyment when I stopped doing it.
Yes, it is true, I have had some seriously dark days raising my kids. I love the hell out of them, that much will never change, but there were some days when I did look at my kids and think to myself: What the fuck have I done? I can't handle this.
But of course I did handle it, and just like millions of parents before me, I anguished over the details and probably worried more than I needed to, and shouted more than I should have and wondered how some people made it all look so easy and abandoned all of my preconceived when I'm a parent ideas pretty quick smart too.
Bottom line is, parenting is ridiculously hard work; you put in heaps of over time that you will never get paid for, your head hurts, your body aches, you'll cry a lot and listen to crying a lot, you second guess yourself every step of the way and you can never clock out, NOT EVER, no matter how old your kids get. So yeah, try not to be too tough on the parents of the world, or yourself if you're a parent having a particularly tough day. It is a big challenge, that so many people aren't equipped to handle, but I promise that when you do, on the odd occasion, get it right, the rewards are just priceless and totally worthwhile.
Who hasn't at some point succumbed to a bit of snooty head shaking, or even worse, the tremendously misguided and self righteous diatribes of the 'when I'm a parent' brigade. Let's face it, it is always so easy to see the shortcomings of parents when you have none of your own children and are observing from a very safe 'childless' distance.
Fact is, parenting is really hard and there are a million billion things that can and often do go wrong along the road to raising your kids. Nobody has it all worked out, NOBODY! Not even the people that have like 12 kids, they just really like babies or something like that I think, but to be honest I have no idea what motivates anyone to have that many kids.
Parenting generally makes really rational people act completely irrationally, it also makes them say and do stupid things too, so please try not to be too judgmental of parents. Sure you can tut-tut the people that are clearly abusing their children by smacking them or giving them mullet haircuts or rat-tails, but just try not to be too harsh. I have been known to act like a lunatic freshly released from the mental asylum in the wake of my own children's torment and relentless punishment, particularly when they were toddlers, man that shit is hard - maximum mobility - zero brains.
I like to reflect on those moments of lunacy when I am just about to judge a parent that is losing their shit in a public place. I try to recall the sleep deprivation, the endless hours of undivided attention and detail that I have relinquished upon my children and all of the times that they made me so mad that I wanted to smash my head against a brick wall because at least I would feel some enjoyment when I stopped doing it.
Yes, it is true, I have had some seriously dark days raising my kids. I love the hell out of them, that much will never change, but there were some days when I did look at my kids and think to myself: What the fuck have I done? I can't handle this.
But of course I did handle it, and just like millions of parents before me, I anguished over the details and probably worried more than I needed to, and shouted more than I should have and wondered how some people made it all look so easy and abandoned all of my preconceived when I'm a parent ideas pretty quick smart too.
Bottom line is, parenting is ridiculously hard work; you put in heaps of over time that you will never get paid for, your head hurts, your body aches, you'll cry a lot and listen to crying a lot, you second guess yourself every step of the way and you can never clock out, NOT EVER, no matter how old your kids get. So yeah, try not to be too tough on the parents of the world, or yourself if you're a parent having a particularly tough day. It is a big challenge, that so many people aren't equipped to handle, but I promise that when you do, on the odd occasion, get it right, the rewards are just priceless and totally worthwhile.
RAISING ARIZONA
Release Date: 1987
Rating: M
Running Time: 94 mins
In true Coen brothers style, Raising Arizona is that fantastic mixture of crime, comedy and sheer madness that always amuses me, no matter how many times I have seen it. The creativity of this movie cannot be denied; it is oddly ambitious, grimy, illogical and yet beautifully eccentric, and one of the best things that Nicholas Cage has ever done in his career.
When an ex-con and ex-cop marry, all that they want is a child of their own and a fresh start. However, they discover that they cannot bare their own children, so they abduct one from the Arizona family and find themselves involved in a number of complications.
Holly Hunter is fantastic as Ed, the cop that just wants to be a mother; and an array of other Coen film regulars like John Goodman and Frances McDormand lend their efforts here as well.
This is certainly not going to be to everyone's liking, but I doubt very much that Raising Arizona was ever made with that intention anyway.
FINAL SAY: Sometimes it's a hard world for small things.
3 Chili Peppers
Release Date: 1987
Rating: M
Running Time: 94 mins
In true Coen brothers style, Raising Arizona is that fantastic mixture of crime, comedy and sheer madness that always amuses me, no matter how many times I have seen it. The creativity of this movie cannot be denied; it is oddly ambitious, grimy, illogical and yet beautifully eccentric, and one of the best things that Nicholas Cage has ever done in his career.
When an ex-con and ex-cop marry, all that they want is a child of their own and a fresh start. However, they discover that they cannot bare their own children, so they abduct one from the Arizona family and find themselves involved in a number of complications.
Holly Hunter is fantastic as Ed, the cop that just wants to be a mother; and an array of other Coen film regulars like John Goodman and Frances McDormand lend their efforts here as well.
This is certainly not going to be to everyone's liking, but I doubt very much that Raising Arizona was ever made with that intention anyway.
FINAL SAY: Sometimes it's a hard world for small things.
3 Chili Peppers
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