I care about other people’s kids. I want them housed, fed, clothed, etc.

I want my tax dollars to improve other’s lives so they have what they need to be self-actualized human beings.

I won’t let them get hurt at the playground if I can help it.

I watch them when they cross the street to make sure they do it safely.

Oh geeze, yeah, I hope that what I wrote didn’t come off as “not caring” about the wellbeing of other people’s children, because that’s absolutely not what I meant!

What I mean is that most people don’t get excited about when someone else’s child just spoke their first word, or took their first step. They really don’t, because it’s not a milestone that impacts that person’s life in any meaningful way.

When someone sends you baby picture after baby picture, or their kid’s school trip photos… nobody actually “cares” about those things. It occupies no space in their head past that brief moment they were told about it. That’s what I mean.

If those things make you happy, there’s nothing wrong with that, either!

Do cute kids put a smile on my face? Of course. But do I care that an acquaintance’s child now uses the potty? Not. At. All.