About 15 years I found out I was pregnant, I was both terrified and excited to become a parent, but I had no idea how much the baby that would become BP would change our lives. BP is now 14 years old, he drives me mad most days, and is well and truly into his “teen” stage, but even with all that I’ve realised just how much I’ve learned since he was born - and how much you’ll learn from being a parent.
I have no idea what we did with all of our time before we had kids. How did we fill so much time and still feel like there wasn’t enough time for everything we wanted to do?
I remember taking extra evening classes so I could learn more and I wanted to add more to that list. Little did I know I was about to learn a whole lot just by being someone’s parent.
Because being a parent is a learning experience, from learning how to feed a baby and change their nappy to knowing how to deal with tween tantrums (not that I've mastered this one yet - even on my second time around). The learning never ends and I'm sure that when I'm a Grandma I'll be talking about how I'm still learning, but for now here’s a few things that I think you’ll learn once you’re a parent.
The 1st thing you'll learn from being a parent - You can deal with anything
A poorly child with a high temperature?
No problem.
Nappy explosions?
Easy.
Projectile vomit covering bedding, people, and clothes?
You're on it.
Things that you never thought you could deal with suddenly become easy, even when it's 2 am and you've only had an hour's sleep.
After the baby stage there’ll be the nightmares of toddlers, the growing pains of school kids, and eventually teenage angst. Currently I’m dealing with an occasionally stroppy tween who loves being active, so that’s fun, and a teen who is finding his way and his voice.
The 2nd thing you'll learn from being a parent - You're ridiculously soppy
Before you had kids you could watch a romantic comedy and laugh.
After kids you can't watch those movies without crying, big wet, soppy tears.
Ads on TV have you in tears, any baby within a 2 mile radius makes you broody, and when your kid runs out of nursery with a blob of paint on a piece of paper you have to hold back the tears of pride.
Adding years to the parenting learning doesn’t help with this one either. When you’re presented with a glowing piece of work your teen did tears threaten to burst from your eyes like a water from a broken pipe and when you hear teachers rave about how wonderful you kid is you’ll have to swallow that suddenly rock-hard lump in your throat.
The 3rd thing you'll learn from being a parent - You had no idea how strong love could be
The very moment you're handed your very own bundle of joy your heart is filled with such love you feel like it could burst. As the little one clings to your finger with all their might tears trickle down your cheeks.
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
Honore de Balzac
And as for when they’re older, well, just let someone try to harm your little (or not-so-little - BP is 5’10’’ - compared to my 5’5’’) bundle of joy and you become The Hulk. Believe me, no one will like YOU when your child is threatened!
The 4th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You're bestowed with magical powers
When your little one is a baby yours are the only arms he/she will fall asleep in. When they're older and they skin their knees a simple kiss from you will make it all better. And when they're older still your stories are the only ones that will put them to sleep.
Your magical powers at work. Sh!! 🤫
And maybe, if you’re lucky, when they’re teens and trying to cope with hormones and the stress of school a hug from you will make it all seem somehow better.
The 5th thing you'll learn from being a parent - Nothing makes you happier than your child's smile
You could be in the lowest of moods and seeing your child come out of school with the biggest smile on their face as they run towards you will make your heart sing. The look on their face on Christmas morning will stay with you forever. But the best smile in the world is the one they give you just before they go to sleep every night.
The 6th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You have more patience than you realised
Before you have kids you pride yourself on your patience but as soon as you have kids you realise you had none. No one can test your patience like your own kids can, except maybe when your kids and Hubby partner up!
The 7th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You're a Master at hiding 'nasty' foods
You become talented at hiding vegetables and sneaking fruit into your kid’s diet. Courgette in spaghetti bolognese and strawberries in a smoothie, who knew you were such a master!
If you can't see the vegetables that must mean they're not there.
Eventually even the pickiest of eaters will discover that they actually like carrots - yes carrots(!) - and will request you put them into everything they can have gravy with!
The 8th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You're a hoarder
Every single piece of paper your child writes on, every piece of art they bring home from school, will be kept. Your house will be filled with clay "candle holders" that can't hold candles, cups with cracks, and reams and reams of paper. And you just can't bring yourself to throw any of it away.
The most beautiful things are not associated with money; they are memories and moments. If you don't celebrate those, they can pass you by.
Alek Wek
To this day I still have so many of my kids things that I’m afraid the loft will collapse on top of us all one day!
The 9th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You ARE SuperMum - Until the kids are better
When your child falls ill you'll go into Super mode. The house will run smoothly and you'll take care of the poorly child. All will be well and you'll think you're great, you didn't even catch the flu...
The 10th thing you'll learn from being a parent - You catch everything
Your child comes home with the sniffles and you get a cold. Your child catches chicken pox and you get the flu. Your child is sick, once, and you're struck down with sickness and diarrhoea that lasts a week.
As your child grows they get immunity to various sniffles and childhood diseases, but you? You continually get the flu, sickness bugs, and are ALWAYS sniffling.
If being a parent has taught me one thing it's that I had no idea who I really was until I had kids.