Kids and Children

This is totally random.

... "kids" or "children." How many great and appropriate synonyms can you find for the word, "children"?

For some reason I cringe when someone kindly (and humbly) corrects me for using the word "kids" instead of "children." Probably my stubborn "free-spirit". Recently, I encountered the director of a popular preschool/daycare who said, "I prefer to use the word "children.'" He was very kind and runs a great program.

I understand the respect that the word "children" implies but, in my thinking, it also implies distance, separation, formality. Adult. Child. "Children" (in my thinking) is a more formal word, a less familiar word - even though it's used by people working with children every day, people who love children and love their work.

I guess for me it's the difference between William and Billy. You can use either word and you'd be right, but the word you choose to use says something about how you relate to Will. Maybe he has a preference. Out of respect you'd call him by the name he prefers.

People used to say, "children should be seen but not heard." People who use the word "kids" in place of "children" would never say, "kids should be seen but not heard" because they'd never make that particular statement to begin with.

I'm not being entirely fair. Paul became all things to all people, so he might win them. He probably would have used the appropriate word among the appropriate people.

I respect people who respect children, I do. But I enjoy people who enjoy kids.

For those who remain convinced that "kids" will always refer to baby goats (characters in their own right), if you know so many people with four legged kids that your listeners might get confused, I would say most- definately, use the word, "children."

And yes, some dictionaries do list "a young goat" as the first definition for kid, but not all of them. Young sheep, of course, are lambs.