Five Truths of Parenting

Whether you’re a mom or a dad, working parent or stay-at-home parent…there are just some universal truths about parenting that everyone should know. I’ve only been at this parenting gig for right at three years now, but I’ve learned a lot. And there are just some things about motherhood and parenting in general that you can’t change.

• The second that you sit down to go to the bathroom or hop in the shower, your child (no matter what age) is going to have a universal meltdown and will need your help in solving the worlds biggest problem right then.

It never fails that as soon as I scamper off to catch a hot bubble bath, stand in the shower without stepping on—or over—toys, or even just sit down to pee in silence, the Little Guy needs something. He lost a toy, he wants some juice, he has a boo-boo. It never ends. And that silence and moment of solitude that I was hoping for, is gone.

• The moment that you decide to go on a diet, get yourself back in shape or stop eating junk food…you’ll either pop up pregnant (whether expectantly or un-expectedly) or you’ll find yourself in a situation where fast-food and quick meals are your only option for a few consecutive days.

I’m not pregnant yet (that I know of, at least) but now that I’ve made the conscious decision to cut out junk food and get myself back in shape, I have this lingering feeling that I’ll end up pregnant (and gaining weight…which totally defeats the purpose of getting back in shape, right?). It’s one of those Murphy’s Law type syndromes…if it can happen, it will.

• All of those things that that you vowed NEVER to do…you’ll find yourself doing.

I *swore* I’d never bribe my child with candy in a store to keep him quiet. Now that I am the mother of a (almost) three year old, I’m singing a different tune. When we make a trip to the store, whether it’s Wal-Mart or the Commissary, the first stop on our agenda? The candy section. Bring on those M&M’s people. I’d much rather pay 75 cent for a bag of candy and shop in peace than battle a screaming toddler who doesn’t feel like looking at fruit for over an hour.

• Similarly…remember the “my child would/will never do that mentality?” Oh yeah. He/She does it.

This is just like point number four. All of those things that you criticized other mothers for, looked at other children and cringed at their behavior and then swore that YOUR child would never, EVER do that….just get ready. Because they will. They’ll do them. And sometimes, they’ll do them three-fold. I remember watching a little girl in the grocery store get down on the floor and throw an all out we-need-to-perform-an-exorcism tantrum over a box of cookies. I thought to myself right then, “When I have kids, they’ll never do that.” Wrong. Noah has thrown more than his share of tantrums. Both in public and in private. Remember the fit in Outback that resulted in not two, but three trips to the bathroom for a spanking? Yep. Been there. Even though I swore I never would.

What truths about parenting have you learned?

Leave your truths in the comment section or email them to me, and I’ll do a second (and possibly a third!) part to this series and include your name and a link to your blog!