By Shannon Brescher Shea of We’ll Eat You Up, We Love You So
Wrapping up my son in a blue hooded towel with three eyes as I pull him out of the bathtub, I exclaim, “Who’s the cutest little monster?” Looking in the mirror, I want to keep him that adorable size forever. Seven hours later at 3 AM, I hear the shriek of the banshee and shudder. Then he’s a monster of a completely different type.
While our children are often the cute Muppet monsters, on their worst days, they can wander into old-fashioned horror movie territory.
Newborns: Vampires
Toddlers: Godzilla
They may be small, but they are mighty! Like the King of Lizards, toddlers leave utter destruction in their wake. Communicating in grunts and roars, they are frequently misunderstood. If they can’t get their way, there is much smashing and stomping. They’re not necessarily “bad,” just challenging.
Preschoolers: The Creature from the Black Lagoon (Gil-man)
Preschoolers are frequently wet from mysterious. They’re curious, although not about what you wish they would be. They sometimes have trouble adjusting to new circumstances and may lash out if they feel threatened. They’re incredibly difficult to capture, easily squirming out of your grasp.
Elementary School Kids: Leprechauns and other fairies
Elementary school kids are short, cute, and surprisingly sneaky. Often mischievous, they’ll play practical jokes on the unwary, especially greedy siblings. They’ll promise you treasure at the end of the rainbow (or a clean room), only for them to hide when you realize it was illusory. If left alone, they can spend a good bit of time mucking about in the woods or a bog.
Teenagers: Bigfoot
They’re hairy and sometimes smell funny. They have inexplicably large limbs and are taller than you would have ever imagined. They’re mysterious creatures that are rarely spotted, leaving only half-eaten food behind. When they’re seen in their natural habit, their communication is minimal. They feel terribly alone and as if no one ever understands them. As a result, they are a bit obsessed with finding a mate.
This post was originally published on We’ll Eat You Up, We Love You So.
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About the Author
Shannon Brescher Shea is a science communicator, activist, and mom of two young boys who lives in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. She writes about how her family is learning to be kinder, more sustainable and more adventurous at her blog, We’ll Eat You Up, We Love You So, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.