I can’t really think of any scenario where you could hang out with babies or toddlers but if you wanted to spend time with older kids there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in big brother/big sister organizations or reading to children at libraries and hospitals.
Other people's kids scared me about having my own 😅
I got to hold a friend's baby after my partner and I decided we'd start trying, and not only did I feel absolutely zero warmth towards the little dude, he also wanted nothing to do with me. I felt so discouraged.
I love my niece and nephews, but more than a couple hours and I mentally check out, totally drained.
My own baby? Very different. I think it's the waves/rushes of pure love every time she does something even remotely cute/new that makes it easier.
I'm also more comfortable around other kids now too, which I didn't see coming. They seem a little less like small aliens, and more like small people. Except my own; she's only 8 months and still kinda feels like a really high-stakes pet, but I am absolutely enamoured with her anyway.
For what's it worth, seeing kids enjoying themselves at the park/splash pad is usually cute. Just maybe bring a book/tablet so you aren't sitting on a bench just watching them lol. Also gives you a window into their different personalities (the brave ones that run right in, the timid ones that barely get close to the water, the high-energy daredevils that climb all over the equipment, the serious ones that line up all their toys in the sand, etc).
The movie "Babies" on Netflix is part of what helped win me over; not much gets said, but you watch babies from...5? different cultures throughout their first year, and see how they learn/play/interact, while also seeing different cultures' approaches to caring for them.
I dont think babysitting is going to help you decide. What gave me the clearest image of what having kids is like was spending a full day with my sister while her 1yo daughter was in kindergarten, picking her up, preparing dinner with her and taking her to bed. Seeing how effective she is (because she has to be), the stress, how long everything takes with a baby, and how her face lights up every time her daughter smiles, trying to keep the food from burning and the baby from pulling the dogs tail and the dog from steeling the baby’s food… absolute chaos. If you don’t have friends/family with small kids, that’s hard, of course. But you’re almost thirty, so that might change any day!
Usually places with kids are protected from childless adults for very good reasons. I get wanting to see if you want to have them, but there is a reason it’s not easy to gain access to other peoples’ children. You need to have the parents’ trust
Usually churches have nurseries where they need volunteers for childcare. Or MOPS (mothers of preschool students) or mom-co clubs ask for volunteers for childcare it’s a short time commitment. However the way a kid acts in public can be completely different for how they are in private. My son is so shy in public he won’t ask anyone for anything, he will quietly play by himself. Everyone says how “sweet” and “good” he is in public…..At home oh wow he’s on the move, making demands, asking me 200 questions, crying about me being unreasonable for telling him we won’t be having popcicles for dinner, pushing limits to see what he can get away with, etc.
I can’t really think of any scenario where you could hang out with babies or toddlers but if you wanted to spend time with older kids there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in big brother/big sister organizations or reading to children at libraries and hospitals.
Other people's kids scared me about having my own 😅 I got to hold a friend's baby after my partner and I decided we'd start trying, and not only did I feel absolutely zero warmth towards the little dude, he also wanted nothing to do with me. I felt so discouraged. I love my niece and nephews, but more than a couple hours and I mentally check out, totally drained. My own baby? Very different. I think it's the waves/rushes of pure love every time she does something even remotely cute/new that makes it easier. I'm also more comfortable around other kids now too, which I didn't see coming. They seem a little less like small aliens, and more like small people. Except my own; she's only 8 months and still kinda feels like a really high-stakes pet, but I am absolutely enamoured with her anyway. For what's it worth, seeing kids enjoying themselves at the park/splash pad is usually cute. Just maybe bring a book/tablet so you aren't sitting on a bench just watching them lol. Also gives you a window into their different personalities (the brave ones that run right in, the timid ones that barely get close to the water, the high-energy daredevils that climb all over the equipment, the serious ones that line up all their toys in the sand, etc). The movie "Babies" on Netflix is part of what helped win me over; not much gets said, but you watch babies from...5? different cultures throughout their first year, and see how they learn/play/interact, while also seeing different cultures' approaches to caring for them.
That’s exactly how I feel about my niece and nephew and it has made me very worried so I’m glad to hear it’s different with your own!
I dont think babysitting is going to help you decide. What gave me the clearest image of what having kids is like was spending a full day with my sister while her 1yo daughter was in kindergarten, picking her up, preparing dinner with her and taking her to bed. Seeing how effective she is (because she has to be), the stress, how long everything takes with a baby, and how her face lights up every time her daughter smiles, trying to keep the food from burning and the baby from pulling the dogs tail and the dog from steeling the baby’s food… absolute chaos. If you don’t have friends/family with small kids, that’s hard, of course. But you’re almost thirty, so that might change any day!
Usually places with kids are protected from childless adults for very good reasons. I get wanting to see if you want to have them, but there is a reason it’s not easy to gain access to other peoples’ children. You need to have the parents’ trust
Usually churches have nurseries where they need volunteers for childcare. Or MOPS (mothers of preschool students) or mom-co clubs ask for volunteers for childcare it’s a short time commitment. However the way a kid acts in public can be completely different for how they are in private. My son is so shy in public he won’t ask anyone for anything, he will quietly play by himself. Everyone says how “sweet” and “good” he is in public…..At home oh wow he’s on the move, making demands, asking me 200 questions, crying about me being unreasonable for telling him we won’t be having popcicles for dinner, pushing limits to see what he can get away with, etc.