To ask you about the good parts of having children?

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Name changed because some people from work know my usual name and don't want to share my family planning details with them. DP (soon to be DH) and I are planning to TTC from September.

I'm very excited and just wanted to ask about the nice parts of parenting.

Please indulge me. Or throw buns.

For me, the best parts are:

Watching them learn new things and develop personalities
Seeing how they develop relationships with other people you love - your partner, your parents
Being the person they want and need when something isn't right (eg they fall over)
A deeper relationship with your partner as you care for your child together- if you have a partner
Family days out and holidays, trips to theme parks etc
Making new friendships with their friends' parents
Watching them sleep and savouring the peace after a busy day
Being a family unit.

There are hard parts but I wouldn't give them back if I had the choice!

Just tucked my 2.5yo in (late I know we were playing in the sunshine after full day at work) and we had the funniest good night ever saying "I love you" in loads of different funny voices. Dc will never remember this but il remember this for a long time, after a hard day, this pure innocence and light hearted evening was just perfect.

It's the unexpected little moments that you think - Christ !! I made this person and they are the best thing ever - that makes up for the trials of being a parent. Hard work pays off. Good luck wen ttc

I was terrified of having no time to focus on myself. It feels so blooming good not having time to focus on myself all the time! I really think my mental health is better since becoming a mother because I suddenly realised how insignificant it is to worry about small stuff.

I love the wordlessness of caring for a baby: leaving behind the unnecessary and just being a good mammal.

And he is hilarious, and so specifically his own person already.

People told me again and again and again how hard it would be. Guess what - it is absolutely as hard as they said. Nobody really told me how absolutely joyful and profoundly fulfilling I’d find it - what a lovely surprise (and what luck, because I know it absolutely isn’t that way for everyone).

Good things about having children

• watching them sleep
• being able to sleep when they sleep
• seeing them change and develop as their personalities emerge
• their kind acts - children do this all the time without prompting
• their lack of filter and ability to tell it how it is
• but most of all...just being asleep. 😍

My dd is almost two and she's absolutely exhausting but so so funny and loving. Watching her splash about for the first time today in her paddling pool was amazing, she was so excited

Also have a three week old dd who I'm co-sleeping with, I'm looking down at this tiny tiny body, hearing her snorty little breaths between feeding and her diddy little feet rubbing against my legs, it's beautiful and second time round I'm appreciating it so much more as I know how quickly these days pass

I think the saying ' the days are long but the years are quick' is spot on, sometimes I can't wait for the end of the day as it's been tiring or challenging but I look back and the last two years have gone by in a flash. I look forward to every day now and am excited to see my babies grow up

The love you fee and they feel for you

I have never felt so loved

And I never realised how much I would laugh we laugh a lot together

When your one year old runs into your arms, with a big grin and then kisses you. Or when they stand on top of the slide and look at you, with a look of love and beaming with pride. When it's the middle of the night and it's just the two of you, and although it should feel rubbish, you feel privileged to be cuddling this lovely little person.

It's amazing, and fun and rewarding. The negative bits really do vary per child - you may end up with a sleeper, which makes lif easier. I actually sleep more than before baby (like you I had a job that deprived me of sleep a lot), and have gained a new perspective on life. I feel like I've blossomed into the person I was meant to be.

The one liners, the fact that your responsible for for something so special and they love you regardless of your flaws. When they tell you they love you, hear,in them laughing always gets me right in the chest. Thier ability to dpsee the best in most people, thier innocence which usually results in the funny remarks. So much more I could write, the pros out do the cons, no competition.

2 of mine are teens and one is younger. I absolutely love them to pieces. My eldest is a true gem, he’s clever funny a loyal friend and he loves his mum to bits. Middle is a typical 13 year old but I adore working her out and seeing her navigate the world and my youngest is still a little boy who gives the best hugs and lights up the world with his magnetic smile. Every night I still go into their rooms, kiss them and breathe on their smells. I never knew I could worship anyone like I do my 3

Everyone's written more eloquently than me about the sheer love and humour and joy, all of which I heartily endorse.

I will add how much I'm learning from them, to see how their minds work and the sheer curiosity they have about pretty much everything. Today DS1 has told asked me about the Minoans and the Bronze Age collapse, the Windrush generation, why the Titanic had a false fourth funnel, the Jarrow March, why we water the plants in the morning and evening on a hot day and not in the middle of the day, how his bike chain drives the wheels, why his children's bible has no book of revelations in it and that he thinks he's Buddhist anyway

Dd told me shed take a bullet for mwe the other day. I would do the same for her too! She's only 10 and I melted!

She does tell me she hates me when she dosnt get her own way though.

My DS is 7 weeks old and he's started smiling when I pick him up out of his crib in the morning and it is the loveliest thing to get a big beaming grin just for being there for him.
Even though I'm utterly exhausted, I enjoy the night feeds. Like now, he's just had his feed and has fallen asleep as I've winded him so is up on my chest snoozing. I will put him down soon but this lovely peace when it's quiet and husband is snoring away and this little chap is just happy and milk drunk asleep on me is a great feeling.

Mine are in their 20s.
The memories I have when they were little are;
They were beautiful
Funny
Amusing beyond with their innocence
Curious
Energetic
I can't wait for grandchildren.

I just had my first baby last weekend, she's 9 days old. It's hard work trying to figure out if she's eating/sleeping/pooing enough, and trying to survive on minimal sleep while recovering from a very tough labour BUT.....
When she snuggles into my chest and makes happy little sighs, or lets me kiss her cheeks, or looks so adorable in her little baby grows my heart just melts! I also feel so close to my partner that we made this special little person who is half of each of us, and I'm looking forward to all her little milestones in the coming years

That was short. I could go on all night.
They are simply a joy. Even when they are awful. And there are those days.
Enjoy them everyday the rewards are awesome.
Their smiles, successes. And to see them happy with their lives is just beyond anything.

Congratulations to all you new dms. It's a long road but a great one

I have a 2 year old and a couple of month old. I know I don't want any more so am really savouring it all at the moment despite the lack of sleep.

I love watching my ds grow and learn. I love sharing his hobbies, at the moment it's transport and dinosaurs, and experiencing things though children's eyes. Going on the train and bus with him is magical as he loves it so much and sharing birthdays/Christmases, etc is so much more special and I love creating little traditions.

With my dd I love the cuddles and sleeping together. Also watching her grow and change. I love her smiles and how she really enjoys the bath and being sung to.

I also love sharing it all wih my dh and others that love them like their grandparents and their aunties and uncles.

They constantly suprise you
They totally idolise you (at least when little)
They have no filter which can be hilarious
Watching them pretend play (“I’m bbq’ing! For example. Using a shoe as the bbq and a towel as the sausage)
The interaction between siblings. Our baby laughed at our toddler for the first time yesterday. Nearly started bawling.

Never laughed so much. Everything. Shes a toddler and its shocking whats shes learning. Just wish time would slow down as miss the new born stage. Dh and i never been happier....tried yes, sometimes very stressed and vvvvv poor. No money for anything. Its the best rollercoaster ever

Agree with dept... everything is magical. We saw a bee yesterday for the first time. She said bee and made me look. Its like looking at the world again completely new.

My girls are just a joy. They're funny, fun, soft, clever. I love being with them. I'm so proud of them. It has been the most raw and awesome (note not necessarily positive every second) experience. There hasn't been a day when they haven't done something amazing.

When you have a child the LOVE 💗 OMG is unbelievable!...It also made me realise how much my mum actually loved me!?...which made us even more closer...😊

My eldest is now 16 and honestly it’s been the best 16 of my life.
Day to day I don’t think I’ve appreciated it but there have been many highlights.
For me personally, I’ve been a single parent for the best part of 10 years and my dcs dad has had little involvement. When I go to patents evening and other than the academic stuff the teachers all say what a great lad he is, how he’s a pleasure to have in the class etc - I get a real sense of achievement that I’ve made him in to the lovely lad they’re talking about.
My youngest is 11 and will no longer be as reliant on me as he starts secondary school. The early years go so fast.
I was once told I may never have children, looking back I’m glad I went through the struggles I did to get my wonderful boys!

I think
It was the best of times it was the worst of times
And
The days and nights are long but the years are quick
Probably apply to parenting
I love ours, we never thought we’d be parents and getting to a live birth was worth all the heartache and tears. I am glad on reflection we were older and had been on that journey as we were ready for our lives to be all about the child.

We are a family, we love hanging out and doing stuff together but we had a long time of partying hard 🤣 so we are enjoying the relative rest 🤣
I love family holidays all the things I hated ore kids are ace now

I also couldn't disagree with pombear more if I tried. The responsibility for ds is perfectly equal between dp and I.

I love the questions they ask, all of the why's and the I wonders.

Some of them are really very good questions that I don't always know the answer to, so we find out together, we look it up, we experiment.

I learned so many interesting things and had my perspective challenged (in the best sort of way) since having ds. His thirst for knowledge is amazing to watch.