Iremind car seat alarm5/12/2023 ![]() I have respect for anyone who’s a parent, even those who do the bare minimum. I remind myself of why I wanted to have kids in the first place, and I’m able to go on. But then I remember that this is all part of raising a family and having the most important relationships of my life flourish. As a mom, I’ve been challenged in ways I never could have imagined. But does easier mean better? Does having the luxury of showering alone or going to dinner without needing a babysitter make for a better life? Not necessarily. If I didn’t have kids, my life probably would’ve been a lot easier and, let’s face it, more affordable. For getting to be a mentor, and growing into the best self you can be. For seeing the world with fresh and curious eyes again. For the hugs you get when you pick them up from school. All the training and hard work are for those priceless moments of joy. Parenting isn’t for the weak, but it is worth it. I laugh with her like I’ve never laughed before. When my toddler isn’t throwing a tantrum, she’s actually pretty pleasant and quite hilarious to be around. There it is! That smile! That’s how people do it. My baby crawls towards something dangerous, yet again I swiftly pick her up and catch a warm glance and smile. “How do people do it?” I often wonder, as I try to get my daughter in the shower while she screams like I’m murdering her. I remind myself to enjoy the moments of laughter and snuggles, even if my eyelids are heavy, my back is aching, and I’m starving waiting until the next nap so I can eat. I tell myself that this was a choice, that it will all pass fairly quickly. My body aches from carrying around a 16-pound baby, picking her up and taking her out of the crib, lifting the stroller and car seat, constantly chasing her so she doesn’t break her head open.Īs the days pass me by in a fog, I remind myself of everything I have to be grateful for. But I’m much humbler now, as I cry for sleep and get bossed around by a toddler on a daily basis. I thought I was mentally strong and could handle just about anything. Trained to win the gold medal of diaper changes.īefore I had kids, I thought I was a hard worker. Practiced doing everything with one hand. Stood up while I ate and drank my coffee while a timer ticked away the seconds. Had someone follow me to the bathroom and scream, “Mom!!!!!” at me every 5 seconds. Set an alarm every 2 hours to prep for the sleep deprivation. Maybe I should have done all of this work before I had kids. I’m bulking up and becoming a machine, but I have no idea what I’m being trained for. I go crazy amounts of time without sitting. Some days I feel like I’m training for the Olympics. “This whole parenting thing isn’t for the weak.” “Crap,” I thought, as I begrudgingly left the peaceful place in my reverie. ![]() Suddenly, I was jolted back into my current reality by the angry stares of the security guard. I drifted off to a faraway land free of kids’ screams and sticky fingers. My toddler screamed for me to open the car window, even though it was raining, and my frazzled nerves reminded me that I was operating on a total of 4 hours of sleep. As the school security guard eagerly tried to wave me onto the school grounds, for what was probably the 10 th time, I wondered where my mind had gone.
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