Dear Margot: How to Love Kids Even When They Throw Tantrums

“Hey Margot, when I grow up I want to have kids but the problem is I don't love kids as a whole and I do not want to deal with their temper tantrums. How should I prepare myself and make myself learn to love kids before I eventually have one?”

Dear reader, it is completely okay to not love kids at the moment. As you grow older and mature, your feelings about having kids might change, and you might start seeing things differently. Just because you don’t enjoy being around kids right now doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way when you are ready to have a family. 

If you want to prepare yourself, you could try spending more time around younger kids in your family or get a babysitting job. This could also help you understand them better and learn how to handle different situations. Not only that, if you learn any tricks on how to care for them now, you can do it later on with your own future children! I understand you don’t want to deal with temper tantrums, but it is also part of child development because they don’t know how to properly express their emotions yet. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it will always be easy, but understanding them can make things less frustrating. 

I also don’t think you shouldn’t pressure yourself into loving kids just because you want them someday. You still have plenty of time to figure out what you want your future to look like. Know that being a good parent isn’t about loving every kid you meet, it’s about being willing to care for your own child, be patient with them, and support them even when times get difficult. Give yourself some time to grow and learn. You don’t need everything planned out this second, and you definitely don’t need to force yourself to feel something that isn’t here yet.

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