Parenting (So Far): Not Hard, Just Challenging

I know, I know. I'm probably going to get a LOT of flak for this one, but I had a revelation this week and I wanted to share it. Parenting (in our personal experience) isn't hard, but it is challenging.

You might wonder how on earth those are two separate things. Let me explain!

Exhibit 1: a baby who decides to throw off
Their own schedule by taking an earlier nap

So far in our parenting journey with a 15 month old girl, there have been times where I've thought "man this is a hard stage". Then I start to think about my words and realize, no, not hard, but it's a new challenge I didn't realize would be one I'd have to face.

Exhibit 2: a baby that won't keep pajamas on
During the night. So I become a mom who worries
She's going to suffocate somehow :\

That's what parenting is: challenging. As in, there's ALWAYS a new challenge! First it's being born and getting used to sleepless nights. There's introducing something new (like solids). There's getting them to roll over, crawl, pull up to stand, walk. There's getting them to speak or understand your words to them. There's teething (oh is there teething!). It's just never ending. You get used to one stage/phase/development and very shortly after there's another one.

Exhibit 3: New foods, friends, and learning
New tricks.

Now, I will admit, I'm only 15 months into this "game" with only one kid and a very helpful and supportive partner. So maybe if you have 3 kids, all around school age, as a single parent then I'm talking out of my ass and I definitely applaud any single parent for doing what they are doing. I mean, it's not hard to me, but it's still work. Tons of work. All the time work! The only break I get (or allow myself) is when she's sleeping, otherwise it's "how can I teach her something?" or "how can I utilize this time with her?" or "what's going to be the best toy/food/book for her?"



Exhibit 4: New experiences lead to head bruises
Sometimes (to be clear, the swing didn't cause
A bruise, but she does get them quite a bit)

I have also learned that being a parent means having patience and lots of it! It means being willing to put another living person and their needs before your own. It means understanding when they are whining that sometimes you need to get on their level to find out what is going on in their little world. And also understanding that they are seeing and experiencing things different than you do/have. It's a very thin line of ignoring their needs because they are whining just to whine (one of the most annoying sounds in the world if you ask me) and figuring out what they are experiencing and if it can be altered to make them adapt better and what makes you a helicopter/coddling parent vs teaching them more free-will.

 

But in the end, the cuddles and smiles make it ALL
Completely worth it!

For me, though, I feel I've gotten a good grasp of this with Cara and that's why I feel ready to have this second little baby to throw in the mix. Who knows? Maybe this time next year I'll be posting about how it's extremely hard and I had no idea what I was saying when I wrote this post haha.