The things they don't tell you about being a parent...

they call to me:
"papa, look here"
"no, papa, look here"

^{Playing with Ball by Kiyohara Hitoshi}

When you first become a parent one thing you quickly learn is that it can be exhausting playing with your child. Don't get me wrong, playing with your kid is one of the most wonderful parts of parenthood—seeing the joy on their faces as they do simple things, hearing their laugh, feeling their excitement and energy—but it can also be exhausting, because they never stop and want to keep playing long after your energy is gone. Not to mention sometimes in today's world we have to do remote work from home, and kids don't really understand that boundary very well and will continue to request play no matter how much you might say you need to work.

That in mind, when a second child comes along, you may harbor a fantasy that the kids will play with each other and give you some free time to do your own thing once in a while or just relax. While it is true that they will play together sometimes, which is great, too often it is closer to each kid trying to get your attention and then becoming angry when you give your attention to the other one. In other words, it becomes not only exhausting but tricky.

Now—don't be fooled by my complaint. Having kids is amazing and I enjoy almost every minute of it. But, well, sometimes it can be frustrating. One of those frustrating times inspired the above haiku.

❦

David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon.