13 things about kids and parenting
1) it's really really flipping hard: from birth until now, over six years later, it has been hard, on a daily basis. some days are harder than others.
2) it's worth it.
3) you can't say with certainty before you have children that you'll 'never' or 'always' anything. 'i will never allow my kids to leave the house in filthy halloween costumes...six months after halloween.' oh really? hah! 'i will always make sure my children have their hair neatly combed. no matter what.' hmm, didn't anticipate your daughter's cotton candy hair and extremely delicate scalp did you? some days, i'll admit, it isn't worth the fight.
4) i don't regret any of the crunchier-than-thou decisions i've made along the way. despite arguments with friends, family, doctors, and strangers about home-birthing, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby-wearing, cloth-diapering, leaving my son intact and not vaxxing i am totally confident and at peace with the large choices i've made so far.
5) yelling doesn't help. while it may make me feel better momentarily it doesn't fix the situation, it only escalates it. i'm proud of how rarely i yell now. and i always apologize when i do.
6) the older my kids get, the more i enjoy them. while i love the idea of snugly newborns i like the reality of school aged kids more.
7) kids are resilient. despite some major drama early on, my kids are awfully well adjusted.
8) by age nine kids hear, process, and repeat everything. (see: d2.) be mindful.
9) i'm so glad i started young. i am completely sapped at the end of the day and...i have youth on my side.
10) if there isn't a bone poking through the skin or blood gushing out...they'll be fine. i've never been a nervous mom. i tend to wait three seconds when i hear a thump or a cry before i (slowly) get up to investigate. my instincts have so far been spot on. when i saw lorenzo's head spurting blood a couple weeks ago (see photos below) i sprang into (calm) action and dealt with it quickly and effectively.
11) i do blood and poop but i don't do barf. m'kay?
12) kids are fairly good at self-regulation. parker, d2 and lorenzo were given no limits on how much easter candy they ate this week. i told them they could have as much as they wanted and reminded them that TOO much would probably make them feel yucky. lorenzo ate almost none despite the fact that it was on the counter all day every day and he is generally there eating around the clock. he chose his usuals: salads, eggs, whole avocados... parker took a couple pieces to eat after snack at school and ate a piece or two after she got home every day. d2 made himself completely sick the first day, learned his lesson and ate less the next few days. ;)
13) i will snuggle my kids until they are physically able to escape me.