Only a girlfriend will tell you the truth about motherhood. God-willing you have good girlfriends. I devoured the Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, which was one of the breakout honest books when it comes to parenting - if you ask me. When I was pregnant with my first, I had a good friend who delivered two months before I did. Her words of wisdom?
You'll never survive the first two weeks.
It wasn't technically true. I lived. But that's the kind of honesty that only a good girlfriend shares. None of this hokey miracle bonding crap. I was still pregnant, but she didn't stoke my fantasy of Perfect Baby and Perfect Mother.
Then I made some new Mommy Friends and they admitted to spending entire days on the sofa, shouting at infants, crumpling on the kitchen floor over... yes, spilt milk. No, wait - that was me! We are all so very, very flawed. Motherhood just shines a spotlight on all your imperfections.
Can you tell I'm feeling like a stellar mom today? It has been brought to my attention that I yell at the Boy Child every day. Each and every one? Okay, maybe... lately - yes. I have been yelling at him every day. He is driving me insane. Please write and tell me it's all going to be better soon. Or - the truth. If you're my girlfriend.
What do you wish a girlfriend had told you?
Mosey over to the Parent Bloggers Network this weekend to find out what other mothers are saying.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Truth About Motherhood
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5 comments:
I will never forget when a friend of mine had a heart-to-heart with me over the phone when I needed it most. She told me she knew what it was like to be the only one awake at 4 am, feeding and burping a baby, hearing the newspaper hit the driveway--almost imagining a tumbleweed rolling down the street. Just knowing that someone else knew that exact feeling was eyeopening!
Lindsay
Oh girl... I wish it did get easier. Alas, each child comes with his or her own challenges. The trick is... hmm... never mind. How about you just make sure to take some weekends away. I think we are better mothers when we've had a chance to rejuvinate our minds and rest our spirits.
First of all, I will admit (somewhat sheepishly), that I have a mother who told me lots of truthful things about motherhood: how taking care of your kids gets old and hard, how you need to have a break from them once in a while, how you will get really, really mad at your kids and it is best to wait until you are calm before discipline and discussion. And this came from a mom who had pretty good kids :)
That said, the stuff I wish I knew when my now two-year old was born: How (much like your friend said), the first two weeks I will feel like I have no idea what in the world I am doing with this new crying, non-sleeping creature. I also wish I knew how hard nursing would be (though it appears to come easy for some), and how lonely it can be.
I think everyday there's at least one thing we did as a parent that we look back on and think "wow, I really wish I'd handled that differently." Even if it's just the time I put off reading a book to my son so I could blog some more!
We're works in progress just as much as they are!
The truth about motherhood? It never, ever ends and no matter how intense those "moments" become and how much you wish you could catch a break--in the end, you are so very very thankful for having been a mother.
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