Are those pink booties I see?So, you know how before you have kids, you say you're going to do this thing, and definitely not do that thing after the baby's born, because it's so easy to say things when you don't have children? Yeah, well, that totally happened to me! In the months leading up to my daughter's birth, I had inadvertently made a list of things I would never, ever do as a mom. And then I had a baby!
Here are six things I said I'd never do as a mom, but -- well, you know the rest ...
Pink, plastic, and ugly. I'm a visual person. And I don't like ugly things in my vision. So, before my daughter made her debut, I had set up her nursery just so. Everything was crisp, white, and designed for what I envisioned a classy family to be. Cut to three months in, the "crisp" is rapidly declining, and things like gaudy disposable changing pads, and -- gasp! -- a bulky pink swing with flowers are increasing. Turns out, gaudy stuff is convenient. And inexpensive. And, hey, it also turns out that babies like bulky, gaudy, plastic shit. (Thankfully, though, the swing is a loaner and my daughter hates it. Man, I can't wait to get that thing out of sight.)
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I actually considered getting a "Baby on Board" sticker for my car. I haven't done it, but I seriously entertained the thought one day when I was driving from Brooklyn to my father's house in the suburbs. As if a little yellow sign would be the thing that would prevent idiots from driving like idiots.
I've given advice. Unsolicited. When I was pregnant -- and after I first had my baby -- I loathed unsolicited advice. I mean, who asked you anyway? But, I don't know, something inside me has felt compelled to drop the baby knowledge on a few friends who are currently expected as if I were Dr. Sears himself. Completely unprompted. I get it now, though. It's exciting to talk about babies when you just had one. But I'm going to try to shut up.
I've judged. I admit it. I've done the thing I hate more than anything, the thing that, under no circumstances, I was going to do after becoming a mom: I've quietly judged women with babies around my daughter's age in Target and in the supermarket. Why is she talking on her phone so loudly in front of her baby? Is she really going to buy that brand of baby wash? Psh, it's your kid's health ... I know. I suck. And I'm really making an effort to not take part in this obnoxious activity, even if I'm not saying anything out loud. What kind of example is that for my kid?
I've bragged. Truthfully, my husband has actually turned out to be the bigger offender of this than me, but I've definitely partaken, also. I cringed when I heard him tell someone, boastfully, that our daughter was in the 95 percentile for height. On the outside. On the inside, I was all, "That's right we have a tall baby!"
I've posted pictures on Facebook. I've tried to keep them to a minimum, as not to clog people's newsfeeds who could give a shit about babies, but I can't help it. She's just so cute!
What things did/do you do that you swore you never would?
Image via handmaidenbymaria/Flickr
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Comments 53
I criticize my daughter's mothering skills and she has two really neat kids. Me? Track record not so good. Bite my tongue.
That's easy..."because I said so". But that didn't start until a little after baby age.
We all are raise by our parents differently. The facts that we all came from differently place, roots/culture , the way we live , the good/bad experiences of our family will always affect positive or negative feelings to us and our little ones . I have two daughters, they start learning from us as a role model of their little world and we learn from them too. RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD SHOULD BE OBSERVED ALWAYS, Parents needs to be strong enough to be a good example in our world full of dangers. As they grew to their own independent lives, they will explore their ways and the ways they have learned from their "MODELS". IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, WHEN WE/US AS AN ADULT ARE ALSO STRUGGLING TO FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN RESPONSIBLY. IT IS NOT VERY EASY THIS SHOULD BE A TEAM WORK FOR ALL OF US , CHURCH , COMMUNITY , GOVERNMENT.
I swore to myself that when I had kids that I would completely drop my social life and spend every possible minute with my kids. I wouldnt see friends, wouldnt be using a computer and would very rarely use a cell phone, I wouldnt spend any real quality time with whoever I happened to be with, I would just focus on my kids. Dont get me wrong, I love my daughter more then life itself and Im thrilled to be due in March with baby #2 but I now wonder what drugs I was on when I said that. The 1 - 2 days out of the week where SO and I both have the day off and schedule kid free time is a total sanity saver. I also check facebook and cafemom on a daily basis (usually when DD is sleeping or being entertained by someone or something other then me) whether that be on a computer or on a laptop. I would not know how to live without interaction with adults who are not related to me. I also swore Id never co-sleep or give solids before a year old. DD has been sleeping in my bed since shes been able to consistantly roll herself over (about 3 months) and she was given rice cereal at about 6 weeks for reflux and started the stage 1 baby food right at 4 months because I was tired of making 8 - 10 bottles a day which led to going through about 16 - 17 cans of formula in a month.