Your best and worst things about being a parent?

[Limpshade]

Currently looking after a toddler and baby with the tail end of D&V, while myself suffering from said D&V I've got to thinking that being sick and still having to look after/feed/play with little ones is my least favourite thing about being a parent.

But probably the best part for me is hearing their spontaneous laughter and/or when they surprise me by learning something new.

Please help me keep my chin up by regaling me with your best and worst things about being a parent!

Oh you poor thing. It’s hard looking after little ones when you are ill yourself.

Best thing: watching them grow into lovely adults, forming friendships, seeing those friends grow, and sharing things as adults. I loved the baby stage, but I think it just gets better and better as they get older (ignoring the puberty but in the middle).

The worst thing: watching them grow into lovely adults. They aren’t ‘mine’ anymore, but I love them just as I did (if not moreso) when they were little and I watched them sleep. My heart still bursts for them, but it aches a little too.

Take it easy and drink plenty of fluids!

Oh no, hope you feel better soon!

The best: loving them so much, seeing how much they love me, watching them grow and develop, their individual quirks, the fact they are so funny, hilarious at times, all the fun things we do together and watching their excitement and enjoyment, the fulfilment I get from being a parent

The worst: not having enough time to myself, being tired and irritable, dealing with their fights and tantrums

Ahh thank you, this is just what I needed sobs quietly over how quickly they grow up and also perhaps that the slice of dry toast was not a good idea

Best thing - the love, all encompassing no holds barred adoration both ways. Also the pride in watching them achieve things and become good kind, funny, talented people.

Worse thing - watching them be hurt when they are adults and not being able to make it better. It really does break your heart. And when they move away, one of mine lives a long way away so we rarely see each other. When they're smaller they steal all of your time, constant ferrying to activities leaving no time for 5 minutes peace.

The best is having lovely little people who constantly surprise you who you love more than you love yourself.

The worst thinking of the future climate problems and wondering why I brought these people into a world like that? And trying to feed healthy food to the fussy little buggers

Best thing: an excuse to do activities like zoos and trampoline parks.
Worst thing: changing the sheets on bunk beds.

Best things ..watching them grow, seeing their personalities develop, having interesting conversations with them, hugs, when they tell you they love you.

Worst things....all the associated housework that goes along with having children...extra laundry, tidying up etc. Constant worry.

I only have a 10 week old, who is a super easy lovely baby.

The best thing so far are the smiles and laughs (or attempts to laugh at least). She is also super cute. I secretly also get a surge of love when others talk about their difficult babies I just want to give her a big kiss and say ‘you’re the best! I am so lucky!’.

The worst is worry, particulary around SIDS, which has caused me huge amounts of anxiety and I’ve done loads of research which boils down to the fact that if we follow the advice the chance is pretty much none. Doesn’t stop me waking up every hour to check her breathing.

Best part for me: the all consuming love I have for DS. I've never felt anything like it. I could cry have cried with happiness just looking at him . His big gummy smiles and giggles. Watching him learn and develop. Seeing him scanning the room to look for me and his eyes lighting up when he sees me. I could go on lol

Least favourite part: sleep deprivation. So bloody hard. I'm ashamed to say I regretted having him in the very early days and wished I could have given him back.

Being ill when he was a few weeks old and the shock of realising I still had to look after a baby.

All the extra laundry, cleaning, food prep.

Worry about anything bad happening him.

Having to deal with overbearing MIL who likes to think DS is her do over baby.

@Nothisispatrick I ended up buying an angelcare sensor mat I couldn't sleep at all worrying about SIDS

Best- just watching him play and learn new things, cuddles where i look at him and remember that i made him

Worst- the constant moaning when hes poorly i want to feel sorry for him but its just so hard when hes throwing himself on the floor screaming over nothing, wont eat wont sleep wont even just sit. Its been a week of 24/7 moaning and I’m struggling to cope on my own

I agree, hearing them laugh is the best feeling in the world.
I also love teaching them how to do stuff - swimming, bike riding - anything, really.
Love the excuse to do childish stuff again, like making dens in the woods or writing letters to Santa.
It's bliss when they suddenly care for you, hug you, look out for you.

Worst: when they are bullied, overlooked unhappy or fail at something they desperately want to succeed at. And all the D&V stuff you've already coped with, OP!

Some great examples here! And I've renewed my respect for my mum, who had to change the sheets on my bunk bed for around eight years - it never occured to me what a pain in the arse that would be!

Best : Watching him grow into an amazing and talented person.

Worst: The worry when he was in hospital.

Oh god yes! Bunk bed sheets 😫 (having to have a little lie down on the top bunk after wrestling the fitted sheet on).

My DS is grown up and working now but we are still very close. The best thing is the love and pride I thin. When he was little I would watch him sleep and think that my heart might burst with love. I still feel like that now and he's 24. I'm a soppy git mind

The worst thing was that he basically didn't sleep through for the first 14 months, no crying - very cheerful but very awake. But I was young and had plenty of energy so I survived.

Being a mum to DS has honestly been a pretty much unalloyed joy.

Worst - when they were really sick. The evening when DD ( 16) got arrested for fighting in a football ground car park.

Best - the love, the total enduring love . Becoming a grandmother and getting double love.

Think not thin!

Sleep deprivation was the worst.
Best is their cheeky little faces smiling and laughing.

Best: gazing at my stunningly beautiful, outrageously clever and funny eight year old and knowing he's mine.

Worst: knawing anxiety. Social obligation. Etiquette. Admin.