Tell Asda what you wish you knew before becoming a parent - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[PoppyMumsnet]

Sometimes, we wish we had the benefit of hindsight– knowing what to have said, what to have done would have made the situation a whole lot easier. Asda would like you to tell them about the things you wish you’d known about before being a parent to a baby/toddler. Would being a new parent have run more smoothly had you known certain things before? What sort of things would you have liked to have known?

Here is what Asda has to say: “Here at Little Angels, we understand how daunting it can be waiting for the arrival of your long awaited little one. That’s why we’d love you to share your top tips on anything from being a parent for the first time or what’s different when you have your second.”

So what do you wish you’d known before becoming a parent? Time flies by so quickly - maybe you wish you’d known to take more videos or photos. Perhaps you wish you’d known that children are much more expensive than you originally thought, so you could have planned better. Maybe you wished you’d known about a support network that you could have spoken to from the very beginning. Or maybe you simply wish you’d known how hard it would be so you could have mentally prepared yourself?

Whatever your story is, Asda would like to hear about it. All those who post below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Asda voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard T&Cs apply

The following:

• There is no such thing as a lie in
• you never get to indulge a cold with a good book and a day in bed, children need feeding/changing/entertaining
• bodily fluids of all description just have to be dealt with

Most important

• you are stronger than you think you are. You will do it/get through it because you HAVE to. No option.

The most challenging and rewarding thing you'll ever do.

Follow the baby's lead, they know what they're doing better than a routine written by someone else
Download the Wonder Weeks app, it will help with the times you think you've broken the baby
Get a Sharpie, keep it in the nappy bag. It will help with the labeling of cups, clothes, wellies, shoes when they're out and about
Make friends with people who have children a similar age. Join stuff, if that's your bag, and keep the people you've got the most in common with!

The tough days feel like they last forever, they don't. Be kind to yourself

I wish I'd known that it all goes so quickly - the sleepless nights and worry don't last and the good times need to be cherished.

I wish I'd written more stuff down - first words, steps and other milestones because I find it really hard to remember those things clearly now.

I wish I'd known how quickly they seem to grow up. I'd have cherished the tricky toddler years more.

I also wish I'd known that nobody really knows what they're doing as a parent. Were all just muddling through and trying to be the best we can be.

I wish I'd known and believed just how quickly all moments pass. Those 4am moments when you really feel you're at the end of you tether and those simple moments of fun in the park that seemed so "Everyday."

Oh, and I wish I'd known that "Good enough" was exactly that and my children would barely recall the things I beat myself up over!

That whatever you do and however good a parent you are, people will disapprove of something and that's okay.

That it is so much harder than anyone can possibly tell you. That sleep will become an obsession, and you will always doubt yourself!
One thing that everyone tells you is that it's worth all the crappy bits, and it really is!

I now have four children. This is easier than having one because as time goes on you realise how little trivial things matter and that all you need to do is to be kind, consistent, listen to them, get three square meals on the table each day, make sure the kids go to bed at a decent hour, get them into the fresh air every day, and that they have clean, warm clothes to wear that don't make them stand out too much. The rest all flows from there. PS The main thing I have learned is always to have a bottle of Hedrin, a nit comb and a packet of threadworm tablets to hand as with school aged children there will be many Sunday nights when these are needed but everywhere is closed.

I wish I'd known how little sleep I would get. I think I would've slept longer to prepare!

I wish I had known how much I would love being a mummy and I wish I'd have done it sooner.

I also wish I'd known that it's a small miracle to have children and not just assume I would be able to fall pregnant with a second one.

I wish I had known it would be the most challenging and rewarding thing I would ever under take. And as a result I would develop into a more confident and understanding individual.

To see the world, to make the most of being able to watch what you want on TV, to enjoy moments of peace

I wish I had known how much fun it would be.

I wish I had known that everyone finds parenting a challenge at some stage!
I beat myself up for a long time after having my son - for finding it hard, for feeling frustrated, for not enjoying every minute.. it was only when he reached 3 months that realisation hit, that I thought 'Wow! I can actually do this!' - this led me to start conversations with other parents, to talk openly about the challenging bits for them & engage in some group therapy!!
Kids are precious, they are so special & it's painful how much you love them - but they are bloody hard work sometimes too, & it's ok to acknowledge that!
I wish I had been easier on myself & because of my experience, I always try to be as helpful as I can to other parents as I know how much that helped me when I had my son! :)

that for some family life is a joy. For others not. for those who keep going.

I wish I'd known how my sleep would become forever disrupted from pregnancy, then night-time feeding, teething, night terrors, my own worries about their time at school to waiting for the key in the lock when they've been out as teens.

I wish I knew that I wouldn't need most of the parfinalia that comes with baby! I wish I had understood the truth behind all the wry advice like 'you'll never sleep again' ... but I wouldn't change any of it

How expensive it would be

I wish I knew how little time I would have to myself but also how much I would miss them whenever I had any time alone!

Just how long a 3 and 5 year old can take to put on a pair of shoes and their coat each time we need to leave the house.
Also just how many times I would need to nag them to go to the toilet before we go anywhere.

What do I wish I'd known...

that everyone and his dog would have a conflicting opinion/answer to everything and just to cut out the burbling and trust my own instincts!
Also that as a parent you can't win- you'll ALWAYS feel guilty.
Sent them to school with a headache? GUILTY!
Kept them off school with a headache...3 mins later they're bouncing around the lounge GUILTY!
Chips & egg for dinner...feel GUILTY!
Send them to bed early to quietly watch TV...feel GUILTY!
Let them stay up to watch TV...feel GUILTY!

et al, et al, ad nauseum. You quickly learn to accept yourself- we're all just doing the best we can, and none of us know what to do!! Just remember you know your own kids better than anyone else does.

That you see danger everywhere and worry about the children ( which never stops!)

I wish I had known how much fun parenthood can be. And how proud I can be when my children do/achieve the smallest/most insignificant things. I used to fear becoming a parent because my parents were strict and argued a lot. So I thought it wouldn't be much fun. But having a family of my own is the single best thing that has ever happened to me and nothing will ever beat it.

Everyone is making it up as they go along, it's just no-one admits to it...

I wish I'd known that you really don't need to buy all that stuff!