My Friday Five today shows the difference between parenting before the kid and parenting after the kid. For a dozen years I was on the outside looking in to parenting. I had my thoughts of what I would "never" do with my toddler.
Some of them went out the window while we were still in a hotel room in China. Others had to wait until she got to that stage or that behavior.
In the words of my parents and grandparents. Oy. Parenting is not for the timid.
Anyway here are five things that I said "I'm not going to do that when I have a kid."
- 5) Preparent Me: Whatever we are having for dinner, that's what we are having. I'm not a short order cook and I don't take requests.
To be honest, I'm still not a short order cook (unless it is leftover night). However if the bill of fare is not to her majesty's liking, I have my go-to. Plum Organics. She loves them. (And no, they are not sponsoring this post.)
- 4) Preparent Me: After a short time of readjustment where I expect to co-sleep, I will gradually get my child sleeping in her own crib in our room and then her own bed in another room.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, right. There is a crib which we plan to turn into a toddler bed in the room with Lotus' toys and changing table. She has never even gone into the thing. Most nights we, meaning I, will rock her to sleep and then D will put her in her crib. Most nights in the middle of the night, I will be awakened to the dulcet tones of MOMMMMEEEEEEEEEE! Where I will stumble to her crib, lift her out, with a small diaper check on the way. Then I will put her between me and my husband and we will all, hopefully sleep. Last night, she slept in her crib all night. After I checked that she was still breathing--I began to hope that maybe I can transition her to her own room. Before she goes off to college.
- 3) Preparent Me: My child will not eat fast food. Not ever.
While we have only ever gone to McDonalds once, and that was in China; we eat fast food. More than I want to.
- 2) Preparent Me: We will find a sitter and once a month go out on our own.
Yeah, well we haven't found a sitter. We did have one once but it didn't fit. Also. Money. We don't have it. Often we will leave her with my in-laws when they visit. But not even close to once a month.
- 1) Preparent Me: I would not even consider giving up my career for a child.
I didn't really think about what would happen when my career gave me up. I am still looking for a job but I'm not getting anywhere. Now I'm starting to shift to think of what I can do to make money. It's a brain shift, but I think it is a good one. I think I want to be responsible for my work. We will see.
I love this idea for a post. 1, 2, and 5 especially hit home for me. I had many (MANY) preconceived notions before being a parent too. My top one was that I didn't in my wildest dreams think I'd be feeding my child mac & cheese from a microwaveable tub 14 times a week! Sadly, that's where we're at (despite lots of therapies to help!)
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