children

[Rosendula]

OK, we've got one going for women, and one for men. What uses do you have for your children?
Here's some to start you off:

1. give you a laugh every day
2. give you cuddles when you need them
3. use as an excuse for singing silly songs out loud in shops/in the street

[Ellendra]

4. Making faces with. (did that for almost an hour with a 9-month old at a restaurant, had the whole table laughing)
5. Noticing things you miss, whether its a cord that wasn't plugged in, or a butterfly on the windowsill.

[LBR]

6. Changing light bulbs, batteries in smoke alarms
7. Going to the attic and the basement
8. Singing songs to tired ones in electric recliners
9. Holding tired hands and bringing hot packs and ice packs
10. Cutting a mother's hair and helping her get her socks on
11. Running errands, driving parents to the doctor's offices
12. Staying with the ones in the hospital and doing all the things the hospital staff doesn't
13. Finding cheery little jokes and passing them on
14. Getting large print books from the library
15. Finding best-loved operas, favorite big-band-era CDs, lovely chamber music recordings
16. Baking Dad's favorite gluten-free cookies and cakes
17. Graciously giving one more minute, and one more kiss, and doing one more chore

I don't have little ones, but I do have elderly parents.

[grumpy-gran]

Happiness every time we see them

[LBR]

Grumpy-gran, that's dear!

[Rod in Japan]

Passing on my genes and attitudes to enrich the future.

[weatherwax]

26. Filling me with the utmost pride!

27. making it impossible to sleep until you hear their key in the door and then feeling such relief that they have got home safely from another night out!

[Mrs Moustoir]

28. Can be relied upon to be completely honest. For example:

"Does my bum look big in this?"
"Yes Mum!"

[Thomzo]

29. (Other people's) Curing you of any brooding feelings you might have.

Zoe

[invisiblepiper]

30. ...saving the earth for...

[sleepyowl]

31. Put a pot plant on their head & get them to stand still to make them an aesthetically pleasing addition to your furnishings

[snapdragon]

26. Filling me with the utmost pride!

27. making it impossible to sleep until you hear their key in the door and then feeling such relief that they have got home safely from another night out!

x2 on those Weatherwax, both left home now but I still remember the amazing feeling of relief, like someone pulled the plug out of the stress sink and it all floods out.

[Birdie Wife]

32. picking berries (unless they eat more than they bring back!)
33. sending up the chimney to cleacn those hard-to-reach places.

I don't have kids (yet!)

[shell]

being truthful,what can you say when your son(6) says "well you have skinny ears" to a friend complaining about being overweight,

[Annpan]

35. 'forcing' you to play with the dolls house, rather than doing the housework