11.07.2012

My Homework

Alyna brought me home homework tonight from her child development class...

1.       WHAT ASPECT OF PARENTING HAS BEEN MOST DIFFICULT?  The aspect of parenting that has been the most difficult for me is self doubt.  As a parent you face making large and small decisions everyday regarding your children.  You just hope you make the best ones.

2.      WHAT PART OF PARENTING HAS BEEN MOST SUPRISING?  The part of parenting that has been most surprising to me is how instantly and completely you love that baby as soon as is it placed in your arms…before that really.  And that same intense love comes with each child.  As I tell my kids, my love for each of them is the same but different.  The same, in its wholeness and different, in that it is for that child as an individual.

3.      WHAT PART OF PARENTING HAS BEEN MOST REWARDING?  The love, trust, friendship, confidence, gratitude and appreciation that is returned to you.  

4.      WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU HAD CHILDREN?  Everything changes when you have children, literally.  Change is good, you learn, you grow, you do things you never thought you could, you become more selfless, you see the world differently, you appreciate little things.

5.      WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN BEFORE HAVING CHILDREN? This is a hard questions because the cliché is true if I only knew then what I know now I would be a much better parent.  And yet, part of the joy of parenting is learning as you go.

6.      WHAT FINANCIAL CHANGES DID HAVING A CHILD MAKE IN YOUR LIFE?  Look at this way… initially one income is divided between two people, then three people, the four people, then five people, then six people and in our case, finally seven people.  It’s a balancing act, juggling between the needs and wants of all the members of the family. 

7.      DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU WERE READY FOR CHILDREN?  Ready?  No.  Willing?  Yes.  Excited to be a mother?  Absolutely. 

8.      WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW PARENT?  My advice to a new parent would be this; Enjoy all aspects of this new journey, learn to pray…you will need help that only God can give, rely on your spouse…you are a team and when the children are grown and gone you still have each other. 

2 comments:

Shannon b said...

Did you have to turn this into the teacher too? :) I like the advice that you gave -- enjoy ALL aspects of the journey! It's funny how now, I'll look at "young mothers" and reminisce about the simple days of having just toddlers at home. Cheerios, naptimes, sippy cups, dirty faces -- every single part of it is good. And while I'm enjoying my current stage, I'm sure in a few years I'll look back and reminisce about the routine/frustrating things all the more, simply because they are a part of my mothering/parenting story!

Nicole said...

Loved this! :)