By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders

Once you become pregnant you’ll find that everyone loves to tell you their parenting stories and often times their parenting advice. Even after the baby is born that continues to stay a constant in parenting chats and get-togethers.

As my eldest daughter turns 17 this year, my middle child turns 1 this year, and I’m expecting our third (and final!) daughter in June, I reflected back on those many stories and pieces of advice I was told. I realized there was so much I was not told. While parenting is always the toughest ‘job’, in hindsight it would have been nice to know a few of those nuggets of guidance beforehand.

I’m hoping as other parents read this, no matter what parenting stage they are in, they nod along, this blog inspires or helps them, and more importantly, they chime in with their own wisdom they wished they heard before parenthood and want to pass along.

No one tells you…

• Parenthood is often as equally frustrating as it is rewarding.
• The ‘terrible twos’ have nothing on the teenager years.
• Watching your child learn a lesson is harder than learning the lesson yourself as a kid.
• When your child is sick, injured, or in the hospital there is nothing that makes that helpless feeling go away.
• It’s okay to discipline how you see fit for your child and family.
• No one knows your child better than you.
• Someone will judge you or your parenting methods at some point – Always ignore it no matter who it comes from.
• Never second guess your first instincts.
• Growing pains are hard on both the parent and child.
• A day, or even hour, can easily go from good to bad and vice versa as a parent.
• There really is no other love that is unconditional like one between a child and parent.
• It’s so important to have other parent friends to share ‘war stories’ with.
• Teaching your child independence and actually giving it to them are two very different concepts.
• Every year and decade brings new ‘bells and whistles’ when it comes to infant toys and supplies – don’t feel bad if you think or say you don’t need all that.
• No matter your child’s age, even if they are grown, parenting never gets easier – it’s just different.

The last and final thing I wanted to share is funny, yet true, meme I saw awhile back. It said, “Adulthood is like looking both ways before you cross the street, and then getting hit by an airplane.” The same is true of parenthood!

Can you relate? Let us know if you can add to Suzy’s list of things no one told you about parenting!

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