Wednesday 23 November 2011

Life as a Parent..

Good day and hope all is well in your parts of the world. The hustle of the holidays are now hitting and I even saw a commercial for a Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon, and that marks for me that the Christmas count down has officially begun!! So grab your favorite spiced cider or hot cocoa and come chat for a bit.

As you all know I have three teen boys. Correction... I have three young 'men'. I say 'men' because they are physically in men's bodies, but they sure don't always think with an adult mind. And please, let me clarify...because I don't mean that to sound derogatory towards them.

Parenthood is so not what we think we signed up for as young couples. Most of us got married, decided to start a family, maybe bought a house..had another baby...tossed in a dog or cat..surprise maybe..baby number 3.....for us then dog number 2 ...then number 3...several 'disposable pets' mixed in there.. .the years fly by.

As I sit here writing its almost like a comic book look at my children's lives flashing quickly in front of me. So many times I wanted to wrap them in thick bubble wrap to protect them. As they  first learned to toddle on their own (Oh those huge blue and green bruises on their little foreheads!!) When they first rode their bikes, that first time roller blading...in shorts!! (washing their bleeding hands and knees and trying so very hard not to say 'I told you to wear your safety gear!!') Wanting to wrap the car and all the kids inside up in bubble wrap the first time one of them gets their driver's license...

You want to wrap them up to protect them....to keep them safe. To save them from making mistakes that will hurt them. When they are little we use baby gates to keep them from crawling down the stairs. As they get older you want to impart all your 'worldly' wisdom on them to save them from the bumps and bruises of getting older and living in a grown up world. We tell them to make good friends, get an education, don't drink or smoke...don't do drugs.....

Then we send our young men and women out into a very unforgiving reality and pray every day they come home without to many bumps and bruises. I must admit I have been pleasantly surprised by comments and accomplishments by my young men. I have a wall in my home covered with  awards and medals. I was chatting just yesterday with a mom of one of my boy's friends and she was saying just how nice my son is. She was telling me wonderful stories of things he had said and done and I must admit I was very proud of my young man.

Then they come home....and you wonder just what are they thinking??? They say stupid things, they procrastinate, they bring home the WEIRDEST kids!! (seriously! where did they find that kid?? and is he safe to have in my home?? Ha!!)  And as a parent, you lay in bed at night banging your head. Are they making good choices? Are they safe?

I know I'm very fortunate. My three guys help me out without complaint all the time. People from all over tell me constantly tell me wonderful things about them. Do they make mistakes? Absolutely. Do I wish I could wrap them up tighter in the bubble wrap? Always. (and to be honest...on different days...I want to wrap them tightly in the bubble wrap for different reasons other then to protect them!! Ha!!)

Ahhh...parenthood...it doesn't matter at what stage of the journey you are at. I am positive you can look at your brood and say wow...this was NOT what I signed up for. Not that it isn't a good....but I bet its not what you thought it would be!

I would love to hear some of your stories!

1 comment:

  1. And don't forget how sweet and innocent they look when they are sleeping. Almost makes you forget any indiscretions they have committed during the day!

    ReplyDelete