It wasn’t until I had children that I realized how fulfilling it was to become a parent. That parenting is simultaneously the best and most challenging job out there. Being a parent is a wild ride; it’s a tumultuous trip where you can experience the highest and lowest of highs in just a single day or even an hour.
It’s enough to make a sane person question their sanity.
It’s equally easy to be overwhelmed by the responsibilities of parenthood.
There are so many things to do, so many things not done. It’s hard to keep up with all of it, but it’s even harder to let go of the things we used to do. As a parent, you want your child to be happy, but at the same time, you want them to grow up and become responsible adults.
Whatever happens, you shouldn’t have any fears. The highs and lows don’t say a lot about you as a parent. It’s just the way things are.
The Lows of Parenting
Of course, there are drawbacks to becoming a parent. However, if you are a parent, you will immediately understand that the highs outweigh the lows after reading the following list.
I know it’s tough to be a parent. It’s tough to be a mom or dad, really. But here are some things that make parenting even more challenging:
- A babysitter for a date night isn’t always available. Depending on your children, you may suddenly have double, triple, or even four times as many tasks to complete.
- Working more hours will be necessary to meet the needs of your family. These days, there are more people to feed.
- All your money now will have to be allocated to meet your children’s needs and they always come first. You may have to make some tough choices to provide them with school supplies, fund their dance lessons, or put money down for college.
- It is not easy to raise a child. From stinky diapers and restless nights to moody teenagers and driving lessons, raising a child is a never-ending series of challenges.
- No matter what you eat or want, your children will always want what you have. Particularly the little ones. The days of having a chocolate bar to yourself are over.
- The more kids you have, the less free time you have. It won’t be long before a leisurely shower or trip to the grocery store feels like a minor miracle.
- Discipline isn’t always easy, but it’s your responsibility as a parent to discover effective methods that help your children learn to respect authority figures, treat others kindly, and behave responsibly.
- Parenting is a lifelong commitment. Even if your children are grown, they may still rely on you. They can count on you to be there for them as they enter adulthood and face challenges like dating, getting married, and raising children.
The Highs of Parenting
Even though parenting has some drawbacks, there are also numerous perks, if not more. One of the most rewarding careers is raising a family.
- Having children allows you to see a reflection of yourself in them. It’s fascinating to watch your child inherit your best attributes and those of your parents and grandparents.
- It’s so much joy to pass down family traditions to your children. It feels like you’re reliving some of the best times of your own childhood.
- Making memories with your children as a family is priceless. When you share an interest with your children, you form a stronger bond and relationship together.
- You get to see them learn how to interact with others, how to work together as a team, how to share, how to play fair and make good choices. You get to watch them become more confident and happy as they reach milestones in their life, such as starting school or beginning sports activities.
- Seeing your children mature is a mix of bittersweet and satisfying. You get to see your child grow and develop into an independent person. You get to watch them learn new things and become more confident. Every day is an adventure with your children and it’s amazing to see how far they’ve come in such a short period of time.
- Sharing your knowledge with them is fulfilling. Incredibly, you have the power to educate your children in the arts of communication, movement, literacy, and numeracy.
- Your empathy grows exponentially after having a child. You suddenly have a new perspective on what it’s like to be in another person’s shoes.
- Parenthood is a great teacher of patience. Raising children requires a great deal of patience. Having patience with them as they figure out how to tie their shoes, complete their assignments, and learn from their mistakes.
- When the family grows, so does the support system. The moment you bring a child into the family, you instantly gain a new best friend and a whole new group of people to hang out with and do silly things with.
- Having children lets you rediscover your inner child. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes can completely transform holidays, day trips, amusement parks, and zoo visits. They improve the experience and make it more enjoyable and memorable.
- It’s incredibly satisfying to work together with your children to establish family goals and then see those goals come to fruition. It’s amazing what your children can accomplish.
- As a parent, you can get assistance if you need it. Your spouse, children, parents, relatives, friends, church, your child’s school, local mom circles, and internet support communities can all be great resources. That’s the beauty of parenting; you can get help from other people if needed.
Parenting may be a high-pressure and frustrating job.
And then there’s always money worries…
Parenting means taking care of your child; it’s providing for their needs, making sure they’re safe, secure and happy. Therefore, we must know how to prioritize the most important things about financial matters. Check out what you shouldn’t put off as a parent here.
But it’s also one of the most important jobs you’ll ever have. Parenting affects every other aspect of your life. If you’re not a good parent, chances are your relationship will suffer and so will your career. And if you’re not a good parent, your children won’t grow up to be good ones either.
If you want to raise a happy, well-adjusted kid who can handle all the challenges of adulthood with ease and grace, be sure to be aware of the parenting mistakes that should be avoided and take care of yourself too using these 3 kinds of self-care.