5. Adolescents.

I don't particularly like children, but I do like to watch them grow up and learn more things than us "grown-ups" ever do.

It's always miraculous to see teenagers develop into normal, functional members of society. (Just this week I told a class full of 14-year-olds they're like monkeys, and my only qualm about it is that I think animal primates are probably better-behaved now that I think about it.) They are, however, amazingly strong people. I for one could not survive the emotions I experienced during puberty anymore. I would simply slit my wrists or end up in a padded room. What millions of teenagers go through as "a normal part of growing up", adults pop Ambien and Valium for. For goodness's sakes, I know I couldn't face the questions I dealt with when I was in kindergarten. Children are vulnerable and should be protected, yes, but their strength shouldn't be underestimated. They are, on average, more capable and more fluent in dealing with emotions than adults are.

For a while, I was the baby of the family, but I now have the opportunity to see awkward teens, gangly pre-teens and wide-eyed three-year-olds around me all at once. Man, I have such amazing cousins and cousins' kids. There's the 12-year-old who shreds on the guitar and five other instruments, is already cooler than I'll ever be and still hugs us. There's the 3-year-old who ran when most babies still crawled around, and the 5-year-old who not only remembers things from before he could speak but could also do the most awesome chicken dance by age three. And most recently, there is the three-week-old who is the most amazingly beautiful baby I have ever seen. Welcome to the world, wonder child.