Mom's Hysterical Cartoons Nail How Parenting Changes With the 1st Kid vs. the 2nd Kid
The fact that first and second babies are raised and handled differently is probably the worst-kept parenting secret ever. The journey with first little one is full of trepidation, worry, and the annoying habit of doubting every single decision made. There's something about the combination of being exhausted from the first kid, feeling like the whole parenting thing has been broken down to a perfect science, and finally finding calm in the chaos, that just makes parenting the second baby -- and every one after that -- a little easier. Even if we don't always want to admit it, the differing experiences we have as second-time parents can be pretty hilarious.
Parents haven't always been able to articulate these differences without feeling guilty, though. Even though we know we love and care for our second kid just as much as our first, talking about the more relaxed parenting style that comes with having multiple kids doesn't always come across in the best way. Luckily, cute comics have always been known to make hard-to-talk-about concepts a little easier to digest.
Trying to highlight some of that hilarity -- and touch on the often ridiculous nature of being a parent in general -- Weng Chen of Messycow Comics has created a comic series that displays the awesomely honest differences parents have with firstborns and second-borns. Her comic strips are colorful, sweet, relatable, funny, and, at times, a little too real.
So read on and let us know -- which comic was the most crazily accurate of all?
The First Baby Reveal
The comics depict pretty much every stage of parenting two different kids, from how excited friends and family are when we reveal the first pregnancy to getting blank stares when we break the news the second time.
Second Pregnancy
What pregnant mom with a toddler (or two) can't relate to feeling like an overworked old nursemaid sometimes? Turns out toddlers don't actually care about treating mom like a queen when a sibling is on the way.
Second-Time Mom Breastfeeding Stress
But with baby No. 2, we're less likely to stress about milk production when there's some perfectly good formula right there. Moms of two or more know how to embrace the idea that "fed is best."
Recycled Baby Clothes
Listen closely, moms. It's totally cool for the second-borns to wear slightly too small, food-stained clothes until they grow into their older siblings' hand-me-downs (which are also stained). Since all those clothes are only going to fit for about five minutes anyway, who cares!
First Child: Everything Is a Sign the Kid Is Gifted
First-time parents are totally blown away at all those firsts. Second-time moms have a little more perspective. It's totally cool if they want to build a fully functional rocket in the house. They just need to make sure they clean it all up when they're done.
Second Kid's Screen Time
No matter how chill, distracted, or different moms may seem with their firstborns vs. their second-borns, the love is always there.
To see more of Weng Chen's Messycow comics, check out her website or her Facebook page.