Let me back up a bit.

I think a terrible mistake would be waiting until you love kids before you have one of your own. I never really got there and only tolerated most of them in small doses. We all know people who are drawn to the drooling infant on the other side of the room and won’t rest until they’ve cuddled it, but for most of us we probably won’t get there.

I imagined it was probably something which would be switched on once I had my own. Some paternal, all-understanding glass through which I’d suddenly view the gurgling world. Not so, really. My baby has found a place in my world which I never knew was there, and cannot imagine life without, but other people’s kids are no less strange & awkward than they were. I have not developed a sudden tolerance for baby-goo, or an understanding of kids that drop their clangy toy on the floor over and over and over. Unless it’s my baby, of course. Then the noise isn’t noise, it’s communication. And the goo means she’s sick and my heart breaks as a result..

If I thought about the reaction to other kids for long enough I’d probably feel bad about it, but I’ve come to realise that this is how humanity survives. Every parent has these feelings for their baby, which gives it the best possible chance at survival and happiness. It all works out in theory. We’re here because someone had these feelings for us too, at least until we scratched the car.

Twitter: @antonyadelaar