written to a childless friend bitching about children in bear suits

have i told you it's bloody hard being a parent? the thing that makes it worthwhile (cos god knows it's not the money or the glamour) is the cuteness of the child (when little anyway; although i have seen your mother looking at you in a certain misty-eyed way).

for me anyway, this is how it goes: he starts up, i'd go to throw him or myself out a window, but then i catch sight of him with his little bear ears, and go
"na-awwwwwww...
okay maybe i'll keep you around."
and so it goes.

see? it's a survival/coping strategy. so don't knock it. everytime you see a child in an animal suit, just look in his mum's eyes to catch the remains of the battle between lingering madness and inner strength.

NB: previously posted elsewhere