The Little Prince

Living in the city is definitely not a deterrent to having children here. Passersby are generally quick to help out parents with small children. Bus seats are offered up to pregnant women and women with small children. Kids are everywhere in Buenos Aires, and they appear to be running the show.

Children are more than welcome at all restaurants, and it is not uncommon to see kids out at the usual 10PM or 11PM dinner time. On the weekends, there are families with kids walking around just as late as couples on dates. Movie theaters have the late, late show for kids movies because there will be children there to fill the seats.

The attitude toward children here is refreshing. People are very understanding, and it creates a laid-back and calm atmosphere that is contagious. No one complains or gets disgusted when kids are playing a game of tag around their parents' table. Parents may fuss when the shrieks get to the top of their kid's lungs, but otherwise everyone is content to let the kids go. When no one else is even batting an eye, how could you be the one scrooge to complain?
One day, I started getting irritated that a little boy was continuously blowing a whistle inside one of our favorite cafes. Then, I looked up and saw him marching around the restaurant with an umbrella over his shoulder like a gun. It was the day of the former president's funeral procession and he was imitating the soldiers on the TVs above us. I couldn't help but laugh, and the whistle became more of a cute affectation than an annoyance.

My personal favorite parental allowance here is the wearing of the costume outside of the house. We frequently see Batman or Spiderman being pushed around in his stroller or playing in the park. Sometimes the costumes are a little more interesting. One night, we walked past a fancy white tablecloth restaurant that had a family of four seated for dinner. One of the little girls at the table was wearing bunny ears. These ears weren't just the kind on a headband, but the kind with a hood with ears that velcroed under the chin. They were all having a lovely time and acted like it was perfectly normal to have a bunny at the restaurant table. The one that takes the cake (and I'm sorry I missed it) was the little boy strutting around the park wearing a top hat and a cape, and carrying a cane. I can't even imagine who he was pretending to be.