Children are incredible little creatures. They’re full of wonder and excitement, everything is new and thrilling to them, and they have an innocence about them that can melt even the iciest of hearts. As parents, our lives are devoted to them- and family really does become the most important thing in the world. However, with that said, there are plenty of things people don’t tell you about having kids. It’s really not all rainbows and sparkles, and as a parent your kids will make you feel emotions you didn't even know you had! Here are just a few things no one warns you about before having kids.
They can get obsessed with things that make no sense to us
Something that’s completely normal or even mundane to us can be the most exciting and interesting thing to a child- and as a parent it’s both baffling and hilarious just how passionate they can be about this thing. Sure, you have the normal stuff like cartoons and kids toys (which you expect, since these are engineered to be interesting to children). But what about when your kid becomes obsessed with shoes, and throws a tantrum in the shoe shop because you won’t buy them a pair of size twelve mens brogues? Or when you’re in the doctors surgery, and they’re screaming and wailing because they want to wear a random lady’s pair of boots she has on? They could be fixated on anything from insects to maps to model trains, this post talks more about funny children’s obsessions so if you think your little one is a bit of an oddball- be assured that it’s perfectly normal! Try and see the world through the eyes of your child, as adults we’ve grown bored and cynical. To a child, this is all new and fascinating, it can really be quite refreshing to get yourself into this mindset.
Who knows what they’re going to come out with next
Kids are really good at embarrassing us as parents. They have no filter, and will often say exactly what’s on their mind even if it mortifies everyone around them! A nice chat with a neighbour, their headteacher or an elderly loved one can quickly end in a red face for us, with our child completely oblivious. The best thing you can do is laugh, learn to see the funny side of things. It’s not always easy when you feel like you want the world to swallow you up, but later on when your cheeks have cooled it’s easier to see the funny side!
They really, REALLY don't like to sleep
When you have a baby, you expect that you won’t be getting too much sleep for the foreseeable future. However, as a naive parent- to- be, you don't realise how long the ‘foreseeable future’ actually is. Even when you have eight, nine or ten year olds, you’re probably never going to get a good lie in. The frustrating thing is when they don’t want to wake up for school in the morning during the week, but come the weekend it’s a 6am wake up call from them!
What things do you wish people warned you about before having kids?