Does anyone have anything positive to say about being a parent?

[Wiltshirelass2019]

Just about to have my first baby and all I seem to read is that being a parent is drudgery. Everyone with kids tells me my life is over and I’ll never sleep again. It’s really getting me down. Aibu or do people with kids never seem to have anything nice to say about parenting when you’re pregnant? I’m shitting myself 😭

I remember feeling exactly like this.

The weird thing is parenting manages to be as terrible as everyone warns you, but also the most magical and rewarding thing you'll ever do ... All at the same time.

I have two year twins. Yes it’s exhausting and life is different but they are the loves of my life. I went through infertility so they were ivf miracles.. I am so thankful for them

I have an 11 month old and it’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me and sometimes when I look at him I think I might actually burst! It’s great!

Sure it’s also one of the hardest things you’ll do (lack of sleep is the weirdest thing and is real) but the highs outweigh the difficulties for sure.

All the best with your pregnancy!

My son slept through the night at 4 weeks, he's nearly 16 months and he still does unless he's poorly! He's absolutely amazing and he makes me feel a type of love I never knew was possible! Makes me smile and laugh out loud every single day, he's so bright and funny and sweet, becoming a mum was the best thing that ever happened to me! Yes it's hard sometimes but it's so worth it, congratulations

It’s bloody brilliant. Maternity leave was fantastic. My DS is almost a year old now and he’s a wee ray of sunshine. Wakes up every morning just full of smiles (so I forgive him for the night before...). My relationship with DH has never been so good.

My Dd is two and I just think she's the best. She's so cute. And funny. And has such a cheeky personality but is well behaved in general. I haven't seen her all day and I miss her a lot.

It's true you will never sleep again OP, but that's a small trade off for the absolutely incredible adventure parenting is, the immense love you feel for your DC, and the amazement you will experience at beginning life into the world!

I LOVE being a mum and I love my DCs more than I've ever loved anything!! But yes, it is very hard!!! :)

I love my kids so much I could eat them, they are also so bloody annoying and infuriating at times.
They are so much fun and make life magical again - Christmas, Easter, school holidays, tooth fairy.
Now they are a bit older (8&6), we are starting to get our social lives back and our days out, movie nights-in, holidays are even more enjoyable as they are interesting to us, too.
Now, I wish they were awake so I can tell them how much I love being with them...

OP, I have to say that I’ve read threads here about how hard and and difficult life is when you have children and they have left me wondering did I raise mine correctly at all or was I just very lucky as I can’t identify at all with the problems and difficulties and how wearing the whole child raising thing is. Mind are grown up now, but I have to say that I totally enjoyed them growing up and seeing things again as new and exciting as I was seeing them through their eyes. It was a lovely experience and my two boys were a joy to bring up (I worked full time too so it wasn’t that I didn’t have to juggle things). Look forward to your baby. Yes life does change, but not necessarily in a bad way. Don’t be afraid to accept any offers of help when your baby is young, and don’t ever fret about housework and having a perfect house. The housework will be there when the children have grown up!

I think I’m one of these people but I honestly don’t mean to be and I actually love my 2! It’s the best thing ever. But I find myself openly thanking god that I’m out of that stage of pregnancy and babies when I’m around a pregnant person.

I don’t mean it but I just struggle so much with a baby. Now they are 7 & 3 and life is soooo good.

I'm definitely finding fun in the toddler years, tonight my 2 year old was launching things round the living room and when he eventually calmed down said "oh sorry hun" and I also persuaded him to have a poo on the potty by saying he would stink the bathroom out 🤷🏻‍♀️

My DD is only 6.5 months but I've found baby stage a lot easier than I expected and haven't really been sleep deprived (combo of v involved partner and good sleeper of a baby). I'm sure toddlerhood will be an education but thus far it's been far more enjoyable than tough.

And now she's interacting with us so much more and learning new skills almost every day it feels like, she's ridiculously good fun! She makes us laugh multiple times a day, and she's the best thing I've ever done I've bloody loved maternity leave and getting to spend so much time with her!

It's the hardest, but most rewarding, thing you will ever do xx

Of course there are downsides but the positives definitely outweigh those. Newborn snuggles when they are so serene and content and the baby smell, divine. Funny little toddlers achieving their milestones and pre schoolers who make you think about the world a little differently as they question everything. Their growth throughout school into proper a little person with their own brand of character.

My DS has just turned one and I love being a mum so much I wish I’d done it years ago.

People told me I wouldn’t sleep, he’d cry constantly and a load of other stuff but every baby is different.

DS was such a quiet baby, he only cried for milk and as soon as he had the bottle he was fine. He started out feeding at midnight, 2 and 4 then by about 3 months I think it was 11pm and 4am. He then pushed his 4am bottle to 5.30/6 and we were getting a great nights sleep by 4 months. Now he’s down at 7.30 until 7am.

He’s such a happy little boy too, we’ve been able to take him out to restaurants for lunch since he could sit in the high chair. He loves watching the hustle and bustle around him.

There are hard days. I decided I needed to make a roast dinner for DH after his first day back at work when DS was a month old! I have no idea why and looking back it was a ridiculous thing to do. Pregnancy hormones obviously take a while to leave!

But there are also amazing days where your child smiles at you for the first time, rolls over, crawls, laughs and says Mumma. And those days just make everything else worth it.

We both just watch him playing and can’t believe this beautiful, tiny human is ours.

All the best with everything OP

The making of me.
I look at mine in wonder every day.

I still grieve for the old me, the old life but I'd never go back as I've never known such completeness.
Fuck it's hard though.

My children are much older than baby stage. I love being their mum, it was a real adjustment for me but over the years they've turned me into a better person as well as a better mum. They're awesome to hang out with and are the best thing I've ever done.

I love being a mum. It was exhausting sometimes when dd was little and I do still worry about stuff quite a lot (think that just goes with the territory), but she is absolutely the centre of my world and the best thing that ever happened to me. I am so incredibly proud of her and she brings me so much joy. She is kind and considerate, too, very witty and funny - basically great company.

I have loved every stage so far, too - from baby to toddler to teen! I just love her more and more every day.

I really enjoy it. DD slept through the night from 8 weeks old, napped and still naps well, still sleeps really well (now 2 and a bit). The early days were difficult, but as PP have said, once we got into our own rhythm everything got better.

This toddler age is brilliant, we can have lovely conversations, go out for dinner as a family and enjoy it, and just generally do fun things. Watching her learn and develop is just amazing and I love being with her.

If I could be given them at age 18 months I’d have about 9!