Rachel, Day by Day
The boy who turned me into a mother.
I’ve only been a parent for three years and four months, so I still have more years of experience coming ahead. I thought I’d share (in my humble opinion) some pros and cons of parenthood so far, at least with a three year old. Feel free to agree or disagree.
Cons
1. Pregnancy is uncomfortable, especially near the end.
2. Lack of sleep and waking up every time you hear a noise. This gets better over time, though.
3. Tantrums, especially when you don’t understand why they are happening.
4. Trying to help a child get over their fears and anxieties when you have some yourself.
5. The constant attention a child wants and needs. You have to get used to that and the energy they have. It’s hard going to the bathroom alone sometimes.
6. Children cost a lot.
7. There’s more responsibility with looking after another person.
8. Figuring out how to balance your career, parenthood, friendships, etc. It means working harder at all of these, but we all figure it out. Having a routine helps.
9. Clutter and messiness around the house.
10. Parent shaming from other people, especially on social media. Stop it.
Pros
1. Forming a special connection with your child.
2. Having an effect on your child by what you teach and show them.
3. Watching your child laugh, play, and grow as a human being.
4. When you see complete strangers smile and laugh at how adorable your child is.
5. Seeing all of the firsts (smile, step, word, vacation, etc.) of this person you created.
6. Hearing your child say, “I love you.”
7. There’s someone to (hopefully) look after you when you’re old.
8. You are rarely bored with a child.
9. The warm, amazing feeling you get when your family is together and happy.
10. The moment you walk into the door or get your child out of their room, and he/she is extremely excited to see you.
What would you add to these lists? Let me know!
Randomosity 