Priorities

If you haven't been living under a rock this morning you've heard that the Prince of Wales has knocked up his lovely bride. Apparently she's even better at this putting on a brave face thing than we thought, too, because she's just been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum and been admitted to hospital for fluids, rest, and observation.

My first thought upon reading the news was, "Ugh, gross. Glad I'm not pregnant." Then I got around to, "Oh, yay for them. I hope this clears up and they get what they want." After a while, though, I landed squarely on, "Oo, can't wait to see pictures of the new baby with Uncle Harry!"

That led me to google "Prince Harry with kids" and spend the fullness of a coffee break scrolling through photos of the Prince doing a lot of things and forcing myself only to acknowledge the things that were with kids. He's playing cricket or rugby, he's cradling babies, he's asking questions, in quite a few he's clearly being made fun of and in almost every single one he looks as happy as a clam. A bright red headed clam. (Dirty!)

You notice the same thing if you google "Obama with kids." There's some handshaking but there's more hugging. The cradling babies comes up a lot as do hilarious faces being made. Search, for instance, "President Bush with kids" and, not only are there far fewer to choose from they just aren't the same. So I asked myself, why?

I wanted to answer that it's because Prince Harry and President Obama are great guys and they are working toward a better future for us and the children are our future even now that Whitney is dead, dammit! I'd scrolled past too many pictures of Harry in his Nazi costume or Harry completely out of his Nazi costume to be able to sell that line even to myself. So I looked at some more pictures. I hit the Obama with Kids Tumblr, which is always a good way to clear one's head.

Especially now that we know the Princess has been keeping a full schedule of public appearances without letting anyone guess she's puking her guts out all day long I have to consider the possibility that both of these guys are just consummate professionals. Part of their gig is to kiss babies and kick around the soccer ball with kids and pretend to have a good time doing it. Look at the pictures, though, and you'll notice that in almost every one the man is focused on the child. Even when they're looking at a camera or being set up for a publicity shot or an adult is interfering their attention is clearly on the kids in question. They're listening and watching and tipping themselves into the children's worlds and that, despite stupid post-Olympic denim-clad pool races, makes me trust them.

If you value a child's view you just can't be all bad.