It sounds kind of cliche- the idea that in parenting my kids I feel like I’m the one who is learning and growing in ways that I couldn’t fathom just a few years ago- but it is true and I’m sharing 4 Things I’ve Learned About Parenting As My Kids Get Older . In fact the older my kids get the more I feel like I glean from our interactions. When they were younger I never imagined that I’d be sitting in a car with one of them, reading our horoscopes and simultaneously being soothed by this same girl as my ears popped. Yes, my girl was rubbing my head and telling me that she promised she’d remind me to buy chewing gum so that I wouldn’t have any ear problems on car rides.
I also never imagined that my daughter would be CURLING my hair. It felt like a complete full circle moment- and as she was curling my hair with the precision of a Louis Licari Stylist- I was flooded by memories of me doing her hair (and her not being very happy about it!) And it got me thinking specifically about Four Things I’ve learned About Parenting as my kids gets older.
4 Things I’ve Learned About Parenting As My Kids Get Older
#1 Thank gd I have my daughter to help me decide what NOT TO WEAR. Not sure how I made it 17 years- but apparently I was DOING IT ALL WRONG. It is a good thing- as my daughter constantly reminds me that I have someone who can give me their honest opinion about my style ( or lack thereof).
#2 Less is sometimes better than more. Sometimes as parents we think we need to schedule our kids so that they have no downtime- but I’ve learned that in that downtime- our kids can discover who and what they want to be.
#3 Never make any long-term judgements about who or what your kids should do or be. Let them come to it in their own time. My husband and I were convinced my son was never going to enjoy sports. I have to admit, a few years ago I signed him up for Little League and he was that kid that DUCKED when the ball came at him. So I laid off. I let him find the things that interested him– mythology, Guinness World Records and Comic books. He was content to wax poetically about the misadventures of Prometheus and quiz anyone who would listen on the stats of the shortest woman alive and I was happy that he found his niche. And then I signed him up for a basketball clinic- NOT TO PRESSURE HIM- but rather to give him a Sunday morning activity- and the boy took to it like a fish takes to water. And so has begun his love affair with basketball, baseball, football and yes SPORTS. So in the end just letting him be was what he needed to find his niche- which I’m sure will be ever changing.
#4 That I actually enjoy spending time with them as people. I am the first to admit when my kids were younger in the baby and toddler stage I did not relish being around them. Is that a horrible thing to say- that I didn’t enjoy cooing, changing diapers, standing on my head trying to get them to eat, etc.? That I would’ve paid any amount of money to have someone else do the down and dirty in the trenches work of raising my kid? But in retrospect I’m glad it was me doing the heavy lifting because I look at them now and see how far we have come on this journey as a team and I can appreciate their personalities and their triumphs that much more because I have been there right alongside them. And it make me not nostalgic for who they were as littles but rather I am loving who they are right in the here and now.
What are some things you’ve learned about parenting since you had kids?
I have learned SO much! I have learned to love like my kiddo does! He is so much fun to be around and I need to remind myself that we don’t always have to be so serious. I feel bad sometimes when he is just joking around and I don’t catch it and tell him to stop doing it! I need to take myself less seriously and have some fun with my kiddo!
Each and everyone of my kids are different so we never scheduled over. My moment was when my daughter came out wearing one of my shirts. I was like no she can’t be big enough yet. Shoes were next.
My daughter was 16 when she was killed and she was my best friend and the one person I liked being with the most and she loved dressing me. I sure miss that although I have my son it isn’t the same even though he is my best friend we have different things we do together. So when I see moms and daughters out shopping it makes me sad but then I think about my daughter and I know she is in a much better place.
LOL at number one. My kids are definitely key players in letting me know what not to wear. They keep me up to date and have no issues in telling me when something is a no go. However, now that I think about it, I was the same way with my mom.
As a new mommy myself I can’t wait to have tons of bonding time with my child when they are older. For now, I’m still enjoying his baby moments.
My kids are still growing up but I’m learning so much about them.My tween is discovering arts and crafts and my toddler is enjoying Disney.