One Of The Hard Parts Of Being A Parent

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Have your mom friends been totally honest with you about being a parent?  I’m not talking about the fun stuff like holding your newborn for the first time; watching him/her smile at you (for real) for the first time; or when he/she starts walking or whatever other fun milestone happens.  Sure those are great and I hope your friends share with you the joys of parenting.  However, I hope they also share the truth about the hard parts of being a parent.  We ALL know that being a parent is amazing in the best and worst ways. 

Of course the best ways include those milestones of crawling walking, talking as well as milestone birthdays like 5, 10, 16, 18, 21…  It’s truly amazing to watch your child grow and develop their individual personality.  It has certainly been an adventure for me watching our kids grow into young adults.  Have you thought about parenting being an adventure?  

According to Wikipedia “an adventure is an exciting experience that is typically a bold, sometimes risky, undertaking.[1] Adventures may be activities with some potential for physical danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting or participating in extreme sports…”  Yes – being a parent is like an extreme sport.  Maybe it doesn’t put you in physical danger but it’s an emotional adventure for sure.

Friends – I’m here to tell you that it’s ok to say out loud that there are times that parenting sucks!  That’s right – I said it – parts of parenting SUCK

My least favorite thing about being a parent is all the worrying I do.  The worry began when our kids were born.  It continued when they started school with me worrying about if my kids would make friends, not get lost, eat enough at lunch, the list goes on.  I thought when they got a little older my worry would subside because certainly they were old enough to be ok right?  I was so very wrong.  

When they started driving of course I worried about them getting lost or into an accident.  During high school years I worried about them keeping friends because high school is brutal.  I’d never survive high school if I had to be a teen these days.  

Since our son moved out and is navigating life – I worry about his happiness mostly.  Also, if I don’t hear from him for two days I worry if he’s been in an accident and can’t remember us; or that he’s dead somewhere.  Seriously.  Do you hear the news lately??  It’s all missing & dead people…  All I want him to do is call me or text me every few days to let me know he’s ok.  (now I know how my dad feels when I don’t call him for more than 2 days..)  

Our daughter will be graduating this spring and I worry that it will take her too long to find the path to what she’s most passionate about and will end up living with us longer than she wants to.  Let’s be honest here – we don’t want her living with us long either.

My parent worry, (like yours), has been like a roller coaster.   It’s fun to be in line filled with anticipation.  Then you get strapped in for that amazing view at the top of the hill and then it’s all downhill, uphill, twists and turns until you pull in to the end.  

I imagine end of the worry roller coaster is when your kids are living on their own and able to support themselves fully.  Then you are on the worry roller coaster that is equal to a kiddie roller coster.  Still a little scary but smoother then before.  

Be patient mommas!  A kiddie roller coaster ride is in your future I promise.  In the meantime – buckle up and enjoy the ride.  Don’t concentrate on the parent worry, concentrate on all the other adventures in parenting and you will be just fine; so will your kids!