How long can children be kids ?

When one is bringing up kids, it is often a dilemma when to stop treating them as kids. We have two daughters. Both were friendly as toddlers and had no problem with new faces in the house and public. As a dad I carried them around a lot though my wife used to admonish me for doing this as they started to move from toddlerhood to being kids to childhood.

My elder girl was far too heavy for any woman to carry her around by the time she was a year and half old. So I had the sole privilege of carrying her around after this age. Those men who were brave enought to attempt to carry her used to give up in a matter of minutes. Since I am well built, I could carry her around without much effort till she was three years old. As she grew older, those who attempted to lift her just gave up with a sudden loud sigh the way the weight lifters in Olympics give up when the weights are too heavy.

My younger girl was of more than adequate weight but not heavy like my elder girl. So she was carried around till the age of three by all in the family. After that, my wife and mom gave up carrying her saying that she should walk. Girls know the weakness of dads.I used to carry her around much longer.

I used to lift my younger girl even when she was in second standard. Though she appeared shy with such an act, she enjoyed it. Sometimes she used to slip down from my folded hands suddenly without warning. I used to look around and found the reason was the same on all such occassions. She had spotted her friend at the door and she did not want her friend see her being carried around by her dad ! I had carried around my younger girl much longer than my elder one. Fortunately elder one was not jealous of my favoured treatment of younger girl.

My daughters are dear to me. They were kids to me long after my wife started treating them as children. I have carried them around to my heart's content and those were the best times of my life.

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