I had zero child rearing experience before I had one of my own. Children were sticky little loud things I tried to avoid. I don’t know where I got my lofty ideas of how children should act, but I now understand that I was wrong about everything. I feel like I owe so many women an apology. After having a child of my own, I feel like I’ve walked a mile in another woman’s nursing bra. I get it now. I was such a judgey a-hole.
1. To the one who quit her successful career to be a stay-at-home mom. I’m sorry I rolled my eyes. Said it was sad to see you throw it all away after working so hard. Said I’d never do something like that. And now that’s me. I finally understand you weren’t actually throwing anything away, and gaining so much more.
2. To the woman who’s baby wouldn’t stop crying and she had to leave the restaurant. The one I gave the stink-eye to, like how dare she pollute my environment with her noisy child. And then it was me, feeling embarrassed and rushing out before even getting a sip of water. It’s happened more than once, and every time I remember being the one who was giving the dirty looks and what a total judgmental jerk I was being.
3. To the woman who’s kid had messy hair, a snotty nose and dirty hands and I wondered why she couldn’t take care of her kid properly. I’m sorry I ever questioned your mothering skills. My kid is usually barefoot, with shaggy hair and sticky hands. He’s happy and healthy and I just had no idea how messy, snotty and dirty kids can get in ten seconds, no matter how hard you try to keep them clean.
4. To the woman who’s kid isn’t talking/walking/potty trained by some magic age. There is no magic age. They’ll do it when they are ready and not a moment before that. I’m sorry I ever questioned any child’s progress. I’m now cursed to spend my days repeating “pee and poo go in the potty” because my 3-year-old son just doesn’t want to give up his diapers, while my mom likes to remind me I was potty trained at two.
5. To the woman who asked her kid to do something five times before they did it and I wondered why the hell her kids don’t listen. Now I have to ask my kid ten times and he may or may not do what I ask. Sometimes he goes out of his way to do the complete opposite. Guess that’s just a little payback for all those times I questioned someone’s disciplinary skills.
To all these women and many more, I’m sorry for judging things I knew nothing about. Nothing has changed me more and opened my eyes like the experience of raising a child. Now when I see a screaming tantrum, I smile and nod, while inwardly thanking God it isn’t me this time. The only thing I know for certain about kids is that they are unpredictable and they are all different. And what I know for certain about moms is we are all just trying our best to keep them safe, happy and healthy and the last thing we need is judgement from friends, family or strangers. We are all just making it work, in our own way, and that happens to be the best way possible. And they are worth every bit!
So, anyone you guys feel the need to apologize to?
Categories: Mom Life
Good post
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Preach!!
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This is the most humbling post I have read. Thank you for recognizing the before and after of having a child.
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It’s a whole new level of understanding. Every time I judge something now, I just remind myself I don’t know what that person’s situation is and they are probably just trying to make it through the day.
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Great post!
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I need to apologize to the parents whose kid threw themselves on the floor kicking and screaming because they didn’t get their way! I don’t know how my girl even learned that!
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oh man, that happened to me yesterday at Publix because my son got a free cookie and NOT an entire cake like he wanted. The look the counter person gave me was awful and I was SO embarrassed I just scooped him up and ran away.
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I think this is every mom in the entire world. We all feel this way so many times. And we only know the switch side of things when we become moms. Thank you for being so real! #WanderingWednesday
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I had no idea what I was in for, lol. I’m certainly a more understanding and tolerant person now!
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To the lady who’s house we stayed in this weekend when my husband let the toddler get down from the table with chocolatey hands and climb up on her sofa thinking ”don’t touch it” was enough to prevent the inevitable messy handprint that ended up on the throw. I used to see others asking their kids over and over to do/not do something and think ”why don’t they listen” and now I know they just don’t sometimes (or most times) especially space cadet dreamy 6 year olds!
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I just left a restaurant and about 50 tiny handprints all along their front glass wall. Once is never enough for messy hands 😳 lol
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Love this! I was the perfect mother before I had kids, haha. Kids have such a way of humbling parents, don’t they? Thanks for the reminder to extend a little grace to each other.
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Two seconds after I read your comment, I had to clean Pee off the floor. Kids are the most humbling experience in the world!
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I think we’ve all been there before we had kids. My perspective, of course, is totally different today. It’s funny how time can do that:)
#WanderingWednesday
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