I love my kids, I just hate parenting
Parenting turns us all into hypocrites.
Throughout our lives, we all encounter situations in which it behooves us to disavow any and all association with certain… unsavory behaviors from our pasts. Like during a job interview, or upon meeting your girlfriend’s parents, or at church.
But those instances are short-lived, and you can go right back to being a rock star when they’re over. Unless you have kids.
Because parenting never ends.
Despite the fact that I’m more likely to classify myself as a realist, most people would probably say otherwise.
They consider me a pessimist, especially people who don’t know me well, or don’t share my sense of humor, and a cynic. Which is fine. I turn 40 this year, I’ve long stopped worrying about other people’s misconceptions.
But I do worry about how my children see me. And about the potential negative impact my personality might have on them.
My son is five years old.
Sounds cute, right? He’s still little! He still snuggles with a blankey thing; he often mispronounces words in adorable ways; he still likes to sleep in our bed!
It all sounds downright Disney… unless you have a five-year-old of your own. Then it’s more like Tim Burton.
When you have kids, being tired becomes a way of life. A defining characteristic. Part of your personality.
Everyone gets tired as they get older, but when children are part of the equation, recovering lost energy is a lot more difficult. The idea of being able to catch up on sleep is a silly enough myth to begin with, but when you’re a parent desperate for an energy boost, it’s the straight-up Holy Grail.
So is it true? Are parents doomed to be forever tired? Or is there hope?
Everyone is always talking about how having kids changes your perspective on things.
They say that when you experience life through the eyes of your innocent children, you appreciate the little things so much more. And I suppose it’s true.
But kids change everything in your life, not merely the way you look at it.