10 Things I never would've believed about parenting

Fifteen years ago, if you'd asked me what I believed about parenting, I would've answered with a lot of platitudes. Or a blank stare. Because I didn't know jack.

Now, though, I find myself in the thick of mothering two young children, doing things I could not, at age 25, have imagined.

It would've been unconscionable:

1. That my husband and I wouldn't make time for regular date nights

2. That our family would rarely eat dinner together

3. That I'd make a grown up's version AND a kid's version of dinner

4. That my husband and I would take on stereotypically traditional roles, with me as the "homemaker"

4. That I'd find disciplinary consistency so difficult to maintain

5. That I'd feel frazzled and frantic much of the time

6. That I'd have a baby tummy almost four years after the birth of my second and final child

7. That I'd often be okay with legos, books and random Happy Meal toys scattered across the floor

8. That I'd have a soft spot for my kids as mushy as a rotten satsuma

9. That I'd let my kids watch TV every day

10. That fingerpainting and baking with children would turn me into a chattering, twitching spaz unable to speak in an octave low enough to be heard by human ears

Comments

[Kellan]

Yes, yes, yes to all of the above list! I didn't know jack either! Great list and good to see you. Take care - Kellan

[kcinnova]

Best advice given at the baby shower for my firstie: "Be prepared to eat every bit of parenting advice you've ever given." (All the other moms in the room laughed and agreed.)

Kudos to you for the fingerpainting and baking! Messy, but worth it.

[vodkamom]

yeah, it's official. I love you.

[vodkamom]

and, might I add a few of my own...

....that I'd call my daughter a bitch
.....that I'd let them drive MY SUV while I drive the old beat up Honda we got for FREE for THEM to drive....
....that I would go out in public with NO make up, sweat pants, tee shirts and not give a shit.

[apathy lounge]

Number 1? Check. Two? Check. Ditto for 3, 4 and 5. Aw hell...I'm saying "Guilty" to the rest of them, too. But it gets better. I promise it does.

[Kristy]

I hear you! I think mostly I just had no idea how worn out I would get with the whole thing. Ten years of babies and toddlers is too much!

[Michele]

Baby tummy lasts a lot longer than 4 years. Sorry!

[Kelly]

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Especially the bit about my evil nemesis, the television.

[The Introvert]

Ever since I started blogging and reading blogs, my eyes have been opened to posts like this about parenting: the stuff your mom doesn't tell you. Now I'm terrified to even try.

[inthefastlane]

yes...the television...
And that I would end up doing all that "mother" stuff while my husband watched TV on the couch. 10 years ago we got married and talked about equality and all that crap.

[kd@abitsquirrelly]

I am right with you, except for the legos and toys being scattered. That makes me crazy.

[Lisa Milton]

It's better that we didn't know. We might have been scared off...

[Leslie]

I second the entire list. Sigh.

[Katie in MA]

...That I would compare my girls from time to time.
...That some nights I would pick up their toys rather than fight with them.
...That just knowing I was in good company would make me feel so much better!

[FortyMama]

...and I was feeling bad about the baby tummy after only a year. Here's to 3 more!

[Alexis]

I am right there with you on all of those things. I also never thought I'd have a sassy teen aged EIGHT year old, a minivan, and a 10pm bedtime.

[Tami]

Great List and oh so true!
My baby belly is approaching 15, now comes the menopot!!
Enjoy your list for awhile cause at some point you will loose your smarts too. Teenagers don't think their parents have brains (shesh mom, what were you thinking?)

[Stacy (mama-om)]

Some of mine...

That we'd have to keep the toilet paper off the roll (or risk losing it all) for the last four years.

That I would wear the same clothes over and over again.

That I'd have one nice outfit (that I would wear over and over again).

That I had so much more growing to do.

[K]

Gee, sounds normal to me....except the part with the lbs didn't come off over a few years.....I'm still trying after my "baby" is nearly 14.....I guess it's just the 40+ middle age spread.....zoiks! I'm not 20 yrs anymore (and these days do not wish to be) and I'm lucky that my DH has the smarts not to comment!
K

[Nora Bee]

That #10--is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I know what you mean..my parents always had family dinner for all six of us and I just don't get it. I think that my dad was always at work by the time I got up in the morning had something to do with it.

[Janine]

So true. Although I'm not ok with the scattered toys, I still don't actually DO anything about them...

[Parul]

You are too funny!

and to comment on a commet:
"yes...the television...
And that I would end up doing all that "mother" stuff while my husband watched TV on the couch. 10 years ago we got married and talked about equality and all that crap.

Posted by: inthefastlane | December 04, 2008 at 07:19 AM
"
Tell me about it - it makes me SO MAD! LOL!

[Wendy]

I can ditto a whole bunch of these, too!

[Aviva Goldfarb]

Angie, I can relate to many of the hilarious items on this list, except # 3, at least most days. I'd love to help you get easy and delicious homemade dinners on the table that your whole family can enjoy. Let me know if I can sign you up for a trial subscription of The Six O'Clock Scramble, www.thescramble.com. Thanks for entertaining all of us and getting us to think!

[Cathy]

Well that about sums it up, doesn't it! Nodding along all the way through! Great list!