Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and I’ve learned to just roll with the punches.
Besides, some of the best things in life are not planned, right?
I can absolutely say that I’ve grown and learned a lot from having kids in two different generations.
sit on the couch while holding the three babies.
Those squirmy little guys are getting harder to tame but it works for now!
Built-in babysitters
With my first children, it was pretty hard to do anything around the house.
head out for a date with my partner.
I have always been close to my older kids, but our tight-knit relationship intensified after I got divorced.
Birth options have changed
Things were pretty predictable back when I had my first child in 1993.
It wasn’t terrible, but I never felt truly empowered.
Of course I respect medical guidance, but I also wanted credit for having had three completely natural births.
I wanted to feel respected and like I was an active participant in the process.
There was no Snapchat or Instagram and, admittedly, I miss those simpler days.
We already know so much (too much?)
about people’s lives and, too often, it makes us feel inadequate in our own realities.
I don’t know what this will look like in a few years.
For now, I’m just taking deep breaths!
We all survived, and the footage is sweet and honest.
Today, we take photos and videos constantly which is great in some ways but also has its downsides.
It’s easy to get distracted by a phone and actually miss out on things.
Today, I catch up on Words With Friends and often miss out on those precious moments.
Nowadays, kids can learn from anywhere because technology makes distance education and homeschooling a viable option.
As a culture, we embraced it and no one really challenged or questioned it.
Now, we are seeingdeclining numbersof infants being circumcised as more and more parents question the practice.
Things have definitely changed in this area.
Our friendship ended pretty soon after that.
Things have changed dramatically since those days.
This will make the sex-ed lesson I have with my little guys very interesting in the future!
When it snowed, we’d get together and build forts and pretend to be in the Arctic Circle.
They biked, ran 5K races, and went to camp.
A few things have changed since then.
Just listening to the news every day is enough to send a chill down your spine.
It’s a really frustrating dynamic.
That was as digital as they needed to be back then.
It’s probably the most stressful change for me as a mother, if I’m honest.
Then they’d come home and watch cartoons while I got dinner ready.
It was so chill.
I don’t know how, but I’m planning to avoid this one entirely.
My firstborn was the complete opposite.
I laid down beside her and started screaming too.
She was so startled that she never did it again!
I can skip that whole nightmare now by shopping online!
No more getting to the store only to discover that the item I want is sold out.
No more hopping from place to place looking for the best deal.
No more surprise items that my kids have thrown into the back of the stroller.
I even do this for groceries.
This is my favorite thing ever.
He also knows how to browse through a YouTube playlist on his dad’s iPad, and guess what?
He still acts like he’s bored.
That’s when I initiate the screen door and head out into the backyard.
The technology-heavy deck may be stacked against me, but I’m not going down without a fight!
I’ve also learned, though, that I took myself too seriously back then.
I wish I had calmed down and trusted my instincts more.
It’s hard work to be a parent.
It’s also hard work to be a kid.
