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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have found any unexpected perks that come with becoming a parent?

221 replies

mommabear12 · 01/04/2015 23:15

Was just wondering as I used my default excuse for not attending another tedious fourtieth birthday party "we can't get a babysitter" (haven't even asked!). How on earth did I shirk these things before ds came along?!!

OP posts:
HearTheThunderRoar · 02/04/2015 02:10

Being able to watch kids movies. Though DD is 15 so that might be a thing of the past
Not having to go to work drinkies every Friday.

Original poster
mommabear12 · 02/04/2015 02:27

It's got me to lighten up!! Now to please my dd I will happily do the hokey cokey holding my delegated toy, sing our banana song in the supermarket, wear a princess crown and dance round the living room to Frozen, pretend to be a cowboy when answering the door, laugh hysterically at farts and squeeze through all the awkward places in soft play in order to get to the ball pit!

OP posts:
butterfly2015 · 02/04/2015 02:34

I have a house full of felt tip pens and hair bobbles. They are everywhere. I love colouring in. And I don't need to look far when I need to tie my hair up.

base9 · 02/04/2015 02:37

We have to re-watch all the old Star Trek original episodes in order to educate them culturally.

Someone has to go rollerblading with them or it would be neglect.

Everyone needs an Easter egg - the Easter bunny wouldn't skip Mummy!

WhoKnowsWhereTheChocolateGoes · 02/04/2015 07:52

Watching Disney etc films is definitely a downside for me, Singalonga Frozen at the thestre was a particular low point but I have discovered a shared love of musicals with DD who belongs to a drama group, we love to sing along to DVDs of Annie, Oliver, Joseph etc.

Also DD does ballet, her teacher recently started an adult class which I have joined, I would never have found out about it if DD wasn't part of her school.

And yes to rediscovering childhood favourite books etc, we've been right through Enid Blyton and we sometimes pull up old TV programmes on youtube, watching them laughing at Monty Python was great.

hestialou · 02/04/2015 08:23

DH having to learn to cook whilst I was pregnant and to ill to do it

Icimoi · 02/04/2015 08:29

Friend of mine found it useful when she wanted to change jobs and knew that her employer would be spiteful about it and would give an unjustified bad reference. She just forgot to mention that she'd ever been in that job and implied she'd been on an extended maternity break.

SunshineAndPeardrops · 02/04/2015 08:31

CeliaLytton - The point about putting the shopping on the back of the buggy made me think of this...

I am a wheelchair user. I asked dh the other day if he ever thought about it, and did the wheelchair ever bother him .

He said that he only really thought about it when he put shopping on the back of my wheelchair, and he always felt glad he did not have to struggle with the shopping like his DBro.

You might think he was saying it just to save my feelings, but he seemed genuinely taken aback when I started laughing my head off at his thought processes! Grin

ahbollocks · 02/04/2015 08:36

Learning its okay to look shit from time to time, nobody cares!

MrsWembley · 02/04/2015 08:41

Unbelievable smugness...

ThreeFrazzledFandangos · 02/04/2015 09:15

This!

Welcome to Fandango's Peppa Pig land. No kids allowed!

To ask if you have found any unexpected perks that come with becoming a parent?
hackmum · 02/04/2015 09:21

I definitely think doing all the kids' things, like when they have an inflatable obstacle course at our local swimming pool, and it's full of eight and nine year olds - and me. Or when DD took up archery lessons one summer and I was able to have a go too. Or the bouncy castle. Love all that.

Discovering certain children's books for the first time - I had never come across the Mog books before I became a mum but I came to adore them.

Also that feeling of being young again because you can talk knowledgeably about Zayn Malik's reasons for leaving One Direction. Actually, I know loads of teenage stuff now that I wouldn't have known as a teenager because I was too nerdy.

engeika · 02/04/2015 09:24

For me kids books. Loved - and won't throw away - so many of those wonderful stories.

mousmous · 02/04/2015 09:24

the side entry to security checks in some airports.
much quicker!

Leafitout · 02/04/2015 09:25

Still being able to attend the Roller Disco and relive my leg warmer days!

engeika · 02/04/2015 09:25

Oh - and agree about a window in to a teen world. Amazing.

CeliaLytton · 02/04/2015 09:26

Sunshine Grin

I have a friend who is a wheelchair user and she used to joke that the only reason we invited her anywhere was to fast track/use lifts/get a more spacious table in a restaurant...

in reality it was to hang stuff from the back of the chair

Millionprammiles · 02/04/2015 09:29

I now get to play with all the toys my parents wouldn't buy me. Barbie hair head you are now mine...

That and I like going to work a lot more. Peace and quiet and an uninterrupted hot drink.

LionWings · 02/04/2015 09:31

Being able to go outside whenever the weather is nice and not having to wait for the weekend when its invariably rubbish

LionWings · 02/04/2015 09:36

I also love having to spell out words when we don't want the kids to know something. No idea why it appeals to me so much

FreudiansSlipper · 02/04/2015 09:40

making new wonderful friends that has been the biggest perk

And Lego I get to build amazing little spaceships and space houses just wish ds would get the hint that I do not need any help and he can build his own not as good as mine multicoloured spaceships

And good excuse to go to safari parks, zoos and the science/natural history museums often Grin

Jackieharris · 02/04/2015 09:41

I actually like going to soft plays.

Buying cute baby clothes.

I have an excuse for a messy house.

Someone to watch my favourite teen shows like Buffy with.

As they get older kids are so good at fetching things.

An excuse to go down flumes.

Mazes.

Theme parks.

cailindana · 02/04/2015 09:42

Explaining things to my curious DS. I love how interested he is in the world and how I get to be one of the people to help him learn about it.

Also, the friends I've made through having kids. They are the best friends I've ever had.

FreudiansSlipper · 02/04/2015 09:47

Oh yes I forgot about making children useful and giving them little jobs Smile

OneOrgasmicBirthPlease · 02/04/2015 09:50

Love
Lego
Museums
New friends

Also an instant stop to street harassment, which used to happen to me pretty much every day, even throughout pregnancies. Somehow nobody wants to wolf-whistle a woman with two small children in tow.