Enjoying Parenthood

Every parent knows those magical moments where we feel truly blessed to have left our old lives behind, and entered into the realm of parenthood. We cherish the flowers our children give us, their kisses and I love yous, and every other special moment that is beyond words. But the mundane time in between, where our day to lives seem dull and boring, that is something we all face and must learn how to deal with in the be way possible.

I was just reading a blog about a mother's tough day. From a child smearing Vick's vapour rub on their faces, to dumping out oatmeal on the stairs and rubbing it into the carpet...the list went on and on of messes and trials. When a child hits toddlerhood, they venture out into exploring what they can and cannot do, as well as testing their parent's patience. It's impossible to always remain calm and just accept the fact they gave the dog your shoes to chew on. Our job is to just do the best we can during hard times, realize they don't know the value of your personal items and are also just exploring the world.

The added pressure in society is that we need to be the 'best' parent. Society itself is beyond disfunctional, so in reality we have nothing to prove to it. Nonetheless, that pressure is there, as is the notion our children need to compete with peers in order to do well in life ( that is exactly what the memorize test system in school is: a method of measuring and competing). The key ( in my opinion) to balancing sanity and parenthood is to be as positive as possible, and creative. If you can retain a small sense of yourself before you were a parenthood, and can enter into the imaginary world of your child, it makes life easier for everyone. Your house really doesn't need to be spotless. The priority is to enjoy your life and help raise healthy, compassionate kids.

Some tips that we use: listen to music you enjoyed as a child, and incorporate games that you used to play into your child's routine. You will have more enthusiasm towards playing with your young one if you have memories of the games being played. Decorate your house in a way that is pleasing to you and inspirational. Don't decorate it to match your neighbor's place. There are many parents who have a lifestyle blog that can give you some ideas with which to make your daily life as a parent more vibrant.