Parental Judgement

8-month old Ethan not happy that he's not sleeping on the gorgeous Californian coast

Before becoming a mom, I certainly had a few things I thought, I won't do that when I become a parent. Well, that my friends, no matter how you sugar coat it, is being judgmental. They say you don't really know what it's like for someone until you walk in their shoes. I've definitely walked those parental shoes now, and feel like I have a pair too many if you ask me.

The first thing I said I wouldn't do was, to let my kid use my phone during dinner or anytime really. When meal times become a multiple times a day, daily battle with a very short attention span diner, I see the appeal of using technology as a distraction. We don't do it often or even once in a while, but when my mom is visiting, it becomes a popular option. I think I forget about it as a potential solution to keep my son still for more than two seconds. The option does pop into mind when we're in the car though. It's a last resort option, but one we are more than willing to use. When I'm in an enclosed space like a car with a screaming baby, I'm willing to do just about anything. That anything includes singing until my throat gets hoarse, playing peek-a-boo until I get nauseous, feeding snacks, breaking traffic laws, and even just pulling over to calm him down. It ain't pretty.

The other thing I told myself I would never do is to be that parent that chases the kid around trying to feed him as he plays. Maybe I can still not be that parent when the baby gets older, but for now, if the only way to get nutrition into my 9-month old is to let him crawl around and play, so be it. I can only hope I can mend his ways when he gets to an age where discipline makes a difference.

All I can do is do my best, one minute at a time. If an observer wants to judge me for that, c'est la vie.

Comments

Sacrifice

Having a second child has been more difficult for me than expected. I was not prepared for the heartache of what literally felt like a breaking up or falling out with the love of my life: my first born. I had not read about this in any blogs, vlogs, or anything. I mean, I had read about the difficulty of managing your time between two kids, but no one mentioned how difficult it would be to step back from your obsession with your first and only child to love another. It did make me resent my time alone with Leila a bit in the beginning because that meant Ethan was off having fun with daddy while I was stuck at home sustaining a newborn. My first love was learning about a life beyond mama. It felt like knife wounds to the heart. This is how I came to realize what it really means to sacrifice. I willingly give up something that I hold so dear and close to my heart for the sake of someone else. It hurts and it is an uphill battle to try...

The Most Favorite Gifts

I love giving gifts. I think I definitely inherited the habit from my Mom, who's a big giver in general. When she can't give objects, she gives her love in the form of her time, home-cooked food, and heart. Giving gifts is definitely one of her dominant love languages. I don't think receiving gifts is one of mine, but I definitely enjoy giving gifts. There's something about dwelling on the person you're trying to find the perfect gift for, and trying to think about what is something that they need or appreciate in their lives that they wouldn't buy for themselves. To me, it goes beyond just the act of buying and giving the gift. I enjoy reminiscing about all the good times I've spent with that person because I'm thinking back on what we've done together to try to discern what a perfect gift might be. As I peruse through about a dozen gift guides from blogs or youtube, I get excited when I find something that reminds me of someone. Th...

Subscription Box Loves

Ever since becoming a mom, convenience has been the name of the game. Believe it or not, it's difficult to even find time to get to the market. Therefore, I'd say about 99% of my shopping happens online now. Subscription boxes have become a staple for me. I used to be subscribed to birchbox, the makeup/skincare sample service, but a girl only needs so many sample packets. Once I found out about these 3 below, I was hooked. First, is my citrus lane subscription box. It's a service that delivers stuff that my baby can use. I should also mention that ever since becoming a mom, I have developed a baby stuff buying addiction. If there's an AA group for that, I probably should join it. But, in my defense, if there's something that can help make our lives easier, funner, or smarter for baby, what parent would deny that? I've gotten 3 boxes so far, and I've really liked/used every item I've received....

peekie wu!

Search This Blog