They’re more trouble now than they were as kids.
They tug at your heart and tear you apart,
Neither concerned with the needs of the other
Or with the needs of their father and mother.
They tell you their problems, expect you’ll be there
To sort out the mess; you must be everywhere.
Their marriages, finances, issues each day;
You’re always on hand and occasionally pay.
Yet when they both need you at the same time
The one who’s not helped will accuse you of crime.
The sleep that you lose through feeling their pain;
Why you can’t say “No” cannot be explained.
You gave up your jobs, you ceased your employment,
Accepted retirement in search of enjoyment;
But now you appear to have new careers,
Wiping their bottoms and drying their tears
And giving them cuddles like you always did
So long ago, when the children were kids.