When babies behave better than adults

By Dr. Andy and Renie Bowman
Coffeetimecolumn.com
andybowman839@gmail.com

Two-month-old Lydia suddenly feels uncomfortable, so she begins twisting her little head back and forth, whimpering, and when that doesn’t bring her mom, she begins shifting her body around. 

According to her beliefs, that lady-in-waiting has only one function in life – to attend to Lydia’s every whim and need. Mom is supposed to be watching that tiny body 24/7, so as to catch the first indication that, “Hey, ma’am, I am not happy, and you should have already fixed this situation 45 seconds ago!” 

And if that dear lady is lax jumping to attention and attending to the baby’s immediate desire of the moment, then in another few seconds all hell is going to break loose in the room. Baby fists will flail, tiny feet will kick and her face will turn redder and redder, as she screams and demands the attention she wants NOW. And the din and chaos will only get louder until she gets her way.

There is no reasoning with the child – she doesn’t want to hear any explanation Mom could offer in self-defense. 

There are no excuses that will be acceptable to her. Mom could lovingly argue that the phone is ringing, someone is at the door, the soup on the kitchen stove is boiling over, and she just took a header on the tile floor rushing to see what her angrily screaming baby is wanting….it matters not. The tyrant wants what she wants. NOW. 

And absolutely nothing but the best for her. If she is hungry, there better be warm milk on tap at the ready. If her issue is a less-than-comfortable feeling between her legs, then by golly, nothing and I mean nothing, should prevent her from nestling her tiny bottom on a comfy and dry diaper.

Whine, squirm, complain loudly, and refuse to stop manipulating those around her, until the goal of getting what she wants is achieved. 

That one simple sentence containing only 22 words describes the behavior of two-month-old Lydia – and our 2024 presidential election.

Here's my question. 

WHAT IS WRONG WITH US ADULTS?!  

Some people on both sides of the issues are acting like spoiled br…um…babies. 

Just like tiny infants, the needs and fears of everyone else in our country are absolutely meaningless to them, and are being totally ignored. There is a terrifying amount of “I want what I want, and I will accept no less!” surrounding this presidential election. 

No holds barred. We are seeing grown adults – among our country’s leaders, no less –  unwilling to listen to another point of view, with an arrogant smirkiness that smacks of the childish taunt, “Just talk to the hand 'cause I’m not about to listen, and you can’t make me.”

Lydia is only acting her age. But today, we have adults behaving worse than tiny tots. It’s past time to grow up, people, before we lose everything we hold dear.