The Beauty Of Parenthood

HOW BRAVE AND STRONG YOU ARE

Being a parent makes you feel like Superman or Wonder Woman. 

There is something about being a parent that reveals a level of strength that you never realized you had.  You will do just about anything and everything to protect your child. 

Your strength is revealed to you in ways that you never knew you had, or ways that you didn’t think that it could.  Any fear that you might have struggled with doesn’t seem so scary in the face of protecting your child.

BEING A PARENT IS NOT BEANS

Parenting is hard. It's a huge responsibility and can be overwhelming. It's not just enough to be called mummy or daddy. You are fully responsible for another human being and can't afford to mock about.

CHILDREN CAN BE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES

Being a parent has tested my patience more than anything else in this world ever can.

There are things in life that we learn as we go along.  Things like sharing, proper communication, waiting, listening and co. Children don’t know these things, you have to be patient enough to teach it all to them.

A child’s main concern is meeting their own needs from womb, up until the time they begin to retain information.  So until then, you are raising your child each day to be less and less of a brat.  They can’t help it, and it’s up to you to raise your child to be a well-mannered person in society.

YOU WERE A BRAT AS A CHILD

I wasn't a perfect child, but I don’t think I was much of a pain in the hinney.  But I sure did give my parents a few heart palpitations as a kid.

So go easy on your kid/kids you were once like them too if not worse.

ALMOST EVERY PARENT YOU KNOW IS A LIAR

Parenting is not easy. No one is a perfect parent and nobody can be a perfect parent.

Forget about the facade some parents try to create on social media especially Facebook- a community where most people only reveal all of the great things that are going on in their lives. They don’t talk about the bad ones, but they will advertise every wonderful accomplishment, and it ends up making you feel horrible about yourself for coming up short.

That’s how parenting is. Most people only reveal all of the great things their child has done.  Then, it makes you feel like a horrible parent in comparison.

The truth is, they’re probably struggling too, it’s just not something they’ll update you on.  Keep that in mind if you need to and try not to compare yourself to others.

YOUR PARENTS WEREN'T AS BAD AS YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE

When you’re a child you might be blind to the all the good that your parents did for you and only fixate on the negative.  As a child you remember them stopping all of the fun that you were trying to have, the spanking, yelling e.t.c. As you get older and get to know better and you replay those memories in your mind it can take the shape of resentment and hostility against your parent(s). But you need to realize that just like you, mummy and daddy are not perfect. They may have handled some situations wrongly due to stress and work pressure. 

They did the best they could just like you are probably doing now.

YOU BECOME LESS SELFISH

Being a parent changes your mindset. Your kid/kids now come first. You put your own needs and wants aside without giving it second thought and focus on what your child needs.

We are all inherently selfish.   As you get older, it’s not that the feeling ever goes away, you just learn how to control it better.

These feelings come right back after you have a child.  There is so much that you give to your child that the moment you have something just for you you want to milk it.

However, you realize that there are some things you must fight because your child’s needs come before your own.

YOUR ABILITY TO BE SELFLESS

Being a parent has made me more sensitive to people's needs, it has made me more patient and empathetic. I tend to treat people the way I would want my kid to be treated having in mind that they are people's children. Also, I now feel the need to protect every child. 

YOU WORRY ABOUT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING

After you have kids, you will periodically notice how rough other kids are with each other.  That then turns into you seeing almost every other child as a potential hazard to your child.  

The world is such a scary place. When you’re a parent you’re even more terrified, because you now have the burden of knowledge.  You know what could happen, and it scares you.

But you fight through those feelings so your child can have a good social life, even if it scares the pants out of you.

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO PARENTING 

If you were a person who often procrastinated, or let others work for you, then parenting is going to be one of the most difficult things that you are going to experience.

Parenting is hard because it forces you to manage your time better, to be more disciplined and responsible.  You learn that even after having a small amount of sleep to help you through the day, you still have a mountain of responsibilities to manage.  If you don’t manage it well you could loose your grip.  It only works if you work at it. 

EVERYONE IS A PARENTING GURU

You find yourself getting advice from any and everyone on how best to raise your child even from those who are yet to become parents. 

Thing is no one knows 100% what to do. It's a permanent job that requires you to learn on the job. Every parent is learning as they go along. Some advice may be useful while some wouldn't be so it's up to you to decide what to do which ones are.

IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT IN THE END

Motherhood is the toughest thing I have had to go through but also the best thing that could ever  happen to me. Being a parent is such and amazing privilege and I'm thankful to be one. 

Being called mummy warms my heart like nothing else can.

Even with the help of your spouse and nanny, it’s still very difficult. But when you look at your child and see yourself and his/her possibilities.  That hug from your little one or the excitement in their eyes when you get home from work....nothing, absolutely nothing beats that.

May we not labor in vain. No one will reap the fruits of your labor over your children on your behalf. May our children always bring us joy and make us proud. 

Shout out to all single mothers and single fathers. I see you and I have a lot of respect for you. May your efforts over your child/children not be in vain. May God continue to grant you the grace and strength you need to nurture your children. 

To all those awaiting the fruit of the womb- It is settled. I pray that you will not exit this world without knowing your children. Don't give up and don't stop praying.