In my pre-kid days I was neat & put together. I once had every single "valuable" neatly placed & within reach. The carpet looked brand new & was kept vacuumed. The walls looked freshly painted. My clothes were neatly pressed & free of barf. Not only did I look the "single" part, my mind was in "single" mode. I could come & go as I pleased, watch my TV programs, & shower when I wanted. Gone are the days of freedom & cleanliness.
Fast forward to the "aftermath". My carpets are soiled, I have broken &/or chewed furniture (yes, my kids teethed on my end tables), & 99% of the time it looks like a tornado blew past my home. Try showering or using the restroom without an audience. I also have anxiety & heartache. I'm constantly wondering if I did or said the right thing. I worry my girls are gonna grow up hating me. I dread the dating & driving ages.
Growing up my Dad always used the phrase Got kids, got Sh*t. We still hear this today. After all he's got kids who got kids. You know what that equals? More sh*t. If I got paid just a penny.......well, you know how the saying goes. He often gets stares of amazement. It seems they think he hates his kids. That's far from the truth.
As a parent myself, I now use this phrase. After all it translates into: You got kids, You got EVERYTHING. I could replace that gnawed end table, but that's my child's mark. My "valuables" aren't so valuable anymore. What really matters is the hold they have on my heart & the mark I'll leave on theirs.
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