"The 11 times I was jealous of my kids this week."

And they spend half their lives wishing they were adults…

My son once asked me if it’s more fun to be a kid, or to be a grown up.

My immediate answer was, “to be a kid”.

Think about it – it’s especially true these days, because for most families I know, the kids seem to have a dream life.

There were 11 times in particular that I was jealous of my kids this week alone. Oh, to be a kid again…

1. They believe in fairies.

It is so magical to believe in fairies and Santa and the Easter Bunny. Childhood is absolutely magical. This is probably why many parents wait so long to confess to our children that we are, in fact, all of the above. We want the magic to stay alive for as long as possible. Because sadly, when you grow up, you know with certainty that there are no Smurfs living under wild mushrooms.

2. At naptime and bedtime.

Why do children fight bedtime so hard? I would LOVE to be able to nap every day and then go to bed at 7.30pm or 8pm. I would love to sleep for 12 carefree hours every night. I’d be like a superhero. I’d be like an energetic, well-rested superhero. They are so lucky.

3. When we started talking about taking a family holiday.

The kids are desperate to visit the theme parks on the Gold Coast. So while they run wild imagining all the fun things they will do once we arrive, like cuddling their favourite characters and choosing which amazing rides they will go on first, my husband and I are sitting down to do all the practical (ie boring) stuff like figuring out how much time we have to take off work, booking hotels, thinking about what to pack…

4. Going on a cool excursion.

My children get to go on the best excursions through school. They’ve recently visited a community farm, the city, Bathurst and Canberra. Sometimes parent helpers are allowed to tag along, but our names are drawn out of a hat, so if we aren’t picked, we just miss out. Boo.

5. Having sleepovers at their friend’s place.

I remember sleepovers. You’d giggle and laugh more than you thought possible, fight off sleep and share secrets – it was pure happiness. My children love sleeping over their friend’s houses and I really wish it was something grownups could do too. Maybe I’ll start a new trend and try it out…

6. When we bought toffee apples.

I love toffee apples but I don’t feel like I can eat one in public – and yet kids can scoff toffee apples and fairy floss whenever they like. Although these days with the obesity crisis it needs to be in the right setting, like at a fete. But still, they get to, and I don’t. Not fair.

7. Dressing up for birthday parties.

The best part of birthday parties these days are the fact that so many of them are dress up parties. My daughter has dressed from head to toe in pink for one party, and as a princess for another. She can wear a tiara with no judgement whatsoever because it’s for a birthday party, and getting the costume ready and dressing up if almost as much fun for her as going to the party itself. And my boys have been to countless ‘come dressed as your favourite movie character’ parties. I’ve always wanted to dress up as Fiona from Shrek…

8. While they jumped on the trampoline.

We have a routine in our home. Whenever I have loads of laundry to hang on the line the kids follow me out and joyfully jump on the trampoline. In their defence, they aren’t actually tall enough to help me hang the washing out. As I listen to them playing and somersaulting and having fun I secretly smirk at the knowledge that they will one day be tall enough, and the party will be over.

9. As their dad swung them around.

When their dad arrived home he started swinging my daughter around as she shrieked and laughed. I was washing dishes at the time and remembering when my dad used to do it to me. The magical feeling of being safely swung around with not a care in the world, with not a dish to wash.

10. When I handed them their teddies.

Because grownups don’t get to hug teddy bears, and that’s a travesty. When I tuck my kids into bed each night I have their favourite toys ready and waiting for them to happily hug them and drift off to sleep. In fact two out of three of my children have several fluffy toys on their beds and they all look so darn cute.

11. After their last tantrum.

Have you ever witnessed a ‘silent tantrum’? My children perfected the art of lying on the floor perfectly still until they got what they wanted. Sometimes they’d accidentally fall asleep which was always funny. I wonder if I lie on the floor for long enough someone might bring me a cup of tea…

What makes you jealous of kids?

Here are some celeb kiddies we’d like to trade lives with for a day or two:

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