No Piece of Cake Having Children!!

We all remember being children, the games the fights and especially moments with family. Some have more pleasant memories than others and lets face is once a child comes into your life everything you though before, all the ideas you had fly straight out the window.

I don't mean this in a bad way, but the truth is having a child be part of your life is not a piece of cake. You entire life changes and so do your priorities. Its not that you stop having fun, but that your idea of a fun time has changed. And lets face it, your kiddie doesn't always behave the way the should or show their best manners no matter how well you know you've taught them or how good you know they can be. They quite often just tend to pull the rug right out from under you. Its either, "O my God my child did not just say/do that", it could either be a really good thing or a really embarrassing thing. I know how often my mother has related my most embarrassing remarks to people, she laughs now but I am sure that at the time she was not to impressed with lil old me at all. But yet its these embarrassing moments that she seems to remember most of all and seems to cherish as priceless not the times that I was on my absolute best behaviour.

There is no perfect way to raise a child. It doesn't mean if "you spare the rod, you spoil the child", I know a lot of adult who's parents didn't "spare the rod" who turned into the worst kinda adults and I know people who's parents used other methods and they turned out just fine. There are hundreds of books out their on child care and discipline not to mention pregnancy. But just like each pregnancy is unique, so is each child and each family.

It is definitely  not easy having a child as part of your life, I remember being able to go shopping for hours, going to the loo with out an escort and not to mention being able to watch what I want without worrying about the content for my lil monster. And where walking into a supermarket took me 15min it now takes 45min to an hour! Cause lets face it any kid is going to try their luck when they want something. If you're lucky they accept that no or next time but if not the pleading will continue until you're out the door, my four year old has even tried bargaining, and no matter who you are you have to admit that that tactic is the cutest thing ever. If you're very unlucky the tantrum hits...I've watched a lot of parents drop their shopping and just leave the store and (lol) we all know the threats "just wait until we get home", we've all heard them ourselves as children and we all use them on our own kids. As a child you were nervous as hell on your way home but you always tried you luck all the same the next you were in a store.

We all know the pull your hair out moments of having children but honestly, having this little person in my life makes it so much better. Watching his face light up over the smallest thing is amazing, when you have a child in your life you get to remember and experience all those small moments and things we view as trivial not just as a child but you get to view it as an adult through their eyes. You get to see the wonder over something new blossom first in their eyes, then their faces and finally the excitement in their voices; talking a mile a minute cause they just can't seem to tell you fast enough. Holidays are better, my son loves watching fireworks; to him they are the greatest thing and his excitement is physical thing, he's like a jitter-bug, unable to stand still for more than 2 seconds. And his pleading for just one more with this toothy grin from ear to ear just makes my day. Not to mention Christmas tree decorating and ripping the carefully wrapped wrapping to shreds on Christmas morning are moments that I could never imagine exchanging for anything. Weather is fun, doesn't matter if its pouring rain outside or if its scorching hot; there's always fun to be had, if its raining all you need to do is pull on some rain boots and grab an umbrella and there is no puddle to big or to small, if its hot...swimming pool or sprinkler here we come!

Even fairytales are fun cause my kiddie always wants to know why? Some how something I never really thought about suddenly becomes very complicated with that one word, or another one, how? There of course his own explications for things are sometimes so spot on I am left speechless or they are so hilarious I am speechless trying not to laugh. You very soon find out that this little person is all there own, they are not a part of your life you are a part of theirs. One day when your time is over they will still be there telling their children about you and the moments. They have their own thoughts, their own opinions and their own ideas. We are just there to help guide them, and while doing this we often find that this little person is teaching us, showing us things that in our daily rush we forget or don't see.

Even listening to music is more fun, listening to them sing and dance are moments to cherish.

Its never easy to discipline a child, what works for one won't necessarily work for the other, and what worked for your parents might not work for your child. Different things work in different ways, but at the end of the day no matter how naughty they've been or how upset you are at them, they will always try and make it up to you. Because a little child loves you unconditionally, they will always forgive your mistakes or your hurts. Small children are the very essence of love, they see everything good in the world and in people. If a child believes you are simply amazing then that's what you are. In their eyes there is nothing that you cannot fix or, for that matter, that cannot be fixed by a kiss and a hug.

But something that we all seem to forget is that a child is still a person, you can hurt their feelings just as easily as your feelings can be hurt even more so. Because you are the centre of their universe, you are their be all and end all, the ultimate superhero. They have their good days and bad, and sometimes they just need someone who understands this and tries to understand their feelings.

I remember this most often when my son carelessly hugs me really tight throwing an I love you and miss you my way, or when he buries is face in my neck looking for comfort.

Having a child is not a piece of cake, but there is not a moment with him that I would ever trade for any reason, not in any universe.