You may hear a parent say that their child caused them to pull out their eyelashes, drive off a cliff or overdose on sedatives but then seconds later, they are shouting from the rooftops about how lucky they are to be this adorably funny and fabulous kid’s parent. It’s just the way it works.
Here are just 10 of the millions of things that too shall pass, whether you believe me or not. Promise!
- Nursing every two hours
- Teething
- Throwing food
- Not being able to eat at a restaurant without losing it
- Potty training
- Weaning off the pacifier
- Night waking
- Temper Tantrums/Biting/Hitting
- Constantly saying “NO”
- Refusing to share
Wait, I unscrewed the top of your cup before you were ready?
When Ryan was first born, I would call my mother-in-law begging her to tell me that it wouldn’t be long before Ryan rolled over, sat up, crawled, walked, talked and so on. She promised me that each stage would pass and I spent a lot of time willing it to move faster. People would say to me “Nobody ever walked down the aisle wearing a diaper/sucking on a pacifier” or “Don’t worry so much – once they start talking they will never stop.” So annoying to hear when you’re in the middle of the most trying time with your child, but also so true!
Now I realize the biggest phase that too, shall pass -
Childhood.
And even worse, the free stuff I get to enjoy while they’re young… The desire to hold my hand. The mouth kisses. The ability to grab tushies. The belly laughs. Being called “Mommy” instead of “Mom”. Having all the answers. Holding the power over the TV, Wii, front door, car and refrigerator. Being able to pick out their clothes. Choosing how they spend their time and with whom. Cuddling. Silly dances. Tucking them in. Reading and singing together. First steps. First words. First lost tooth. All of the fabulous firsts. The cute questions. The mispronunciations. The feetsie pajamas. The just-woke-up-from-a-nap look. The ability to make any boo boo feel better with a well-placed hug and Band-Aid. The bubble baths. The constant, ear-splitting noise.
It is so hard to keep it all in perspective when you’re in the middle of the third public tantrum of the day that leaves you drenched with sweat and cursing out loud in a parking lot, but if we try to remind ourselves that this too shall pass, it may feel a bit more tolerable. It is a constant struggle not to change my parenting just because I don’t feel like seeing a tantrum through to the end. But knowing that it will end, whether it’s 5, 10 or 60 minutes later really does help.
Crazy as it may seem, we will one day look back at these times as some of the best of our lives.
