Let’s be honest.

Unfortunately for us, these Mr. Hyde moments usually come at the most inopportune times. A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I thought it’d be fun to take the kids out to lunch with my sister-in-law.

From the time we sat down, my son couldn’t keep his hands to himself, making my daughter scream by pretending to poke her with his fork and growling like a wild animal. Oddly enough, she still didn’t want my wife or me to sit between them for a good 30 minutes. Once she finally had enough of his mess, that’s when things got interesting.

Once he realized the jig was up and he would be moving out of arm’s reach of big sister, he began a full meltdown, partly because he thought his food wasn’t moving with him and partly because the fun of poking at his sister had come to an end. Reuniting him with his pancakes bought us a few more minutes but he wasn’t quite done….but our lunch certainly was.

As most parents do, we know the signs for needing to make a quick get away, but considering my son doesn’t always exercise full control of his bladder, we had to take a detour for potty time. He took this as his cue to scream bloody murder, much to the chagrin of my wife. I wasn’t mad at him thought. I was actually glad he was being a jerk, and I have ten reasons you should be glad when your kids act like jerks too!

#10 It makes you appreciate your parents because odds are you were the same little jerk when you were growing up and they didn’t throw you to the wolves.

#9 It lets you know who your real friends are. Nothing highlights who your real friends are like a good meltdown. If one of your “associates” judges you in this time of need, time to cut him/her loose. No questions asked.

#8 It makes your significant other will forget about that pet he/she wanted to get you so YOU could do all the work taking care of it. Who needs another life to be responsible for when it’s taking everything you’ve got not to end the life of the little one in question.

#7 It builds your patience. Nothing worth having is easy, right? Or something like that.

#6 It makes you grateful for the little things, like when someone else’s kid is the one having an epic tantrum in the middle of the street.

#5 It also makes you compassionate for the victim of that epic tantrum instead of the assuming look you would have given in your previous life.

#4 It keeps you from having another kid…the world is overpopulated.

#3 It keeps you from having another kid…your house is overpopulated.

#2 It makes for some funny pictures. This guy knows all about it. You have to at least get a little entertainment out these situations.

#1 It makes for a damn good story!

What would you add to the list? I bet there’s more than a couple of people that would add it makes you appreciate having that other job to go to for a few hours every day.  You may also think I’m just delirious from the lack of sleep? Either way, let me know in the comments!