Category Archives: child

4 Things Motherhood Has Taught Me

When you have children you learn basic things, such as taking care of your kid, changing a diaper, how to get an itsy bitsy onesie on an itsy bitsy baby, and so forth. However, there are some life lessons your kids will teach you that you may not have anticipated. These are some of the things motherhood has taught me:

Patience

Before you say “I already have loads of patience,” let me tell you, no you don’t. You do not have patience until a small child screams uncontrollably for three hours at night, and all you can do is hold them and hope they calm down so you can go to sleep yourself. Patience is when you are trying to perform a task that would normally take about ten minutes or less and has now dragged on for over an hour because your toddler does not feel you should be doing this particular thing.

Functioning on Little to No Sleep

I use the term “functioning” very loosely here. You are going through the motions of the day in a zombie like state, but nevertheless can perform some basic functions. Remember when you were in college and were able to go out partying until three or four in the morning, and then go to class and work the next day without missing a beat? Yeah, having kids is a lot like that, except there is no party and a lot more is expected of you. Fortunately this phase only lasts the first few months, after which, with any luck, your child is sleeping through the night for the most part.

Plans Do Not Count

I have to admit, this is still a lesson in progress for me, but I am slowly catching on. A little planning can in fact go a long way. However, for the most part, kids have a way of derailing even the best laid plans. They do not do this intentionally, and it does not necessarily happen all the time, but there are those occasions when you were planning on being somewhere at a certain time, or even going somewhere at all, and your child just would not allow this to happen (he puked all over himself and now you are late, she woke up with a fever, your babysitter cancelled on you and your destination is not kid friendly, etc.). You will eventually learn to just go with it.

Your Life Is No Longer About You

This is pretty self explanatory. In fact, if I even have to begin explaining this one, you are not ready for kids.

What have your kids taught you?

 

I Wish I Didn’t Have A Daughter

Recently I have been privy to a lot of very disturbing inventions designed for children, under the guise of “toys” and other paraphernalia. I could not believe my eyes at the list, and I could not believe that anyone buys these things for their children, seeing as how five and six year olds do not have the money or know-how to purchase these products themselves.

Then I saw this. Yes folks, this is a breastfeeding doll that teaches your little girl how to breastfeed. It comes with a little halter top that your child dons that the doll “latches onto.” I am not sure what to make of this.

I love my daughter dearly, and only want what is best for her. But seeing products like this almost makes me wish I had had two sons instead. At least then I would not need to worry about how overly sexualized they will be before they even turn ten! I can shield my Munchie as much as I want, but I cannot put her in a box. If this is somehow becoming the norm, then she is bound to see her friends playing with these things, or at least discussing them. I cannot control everything she comes into contact with twenty four hours a day, especially after she starts public school.

Granted, the breastfeeding doll is not as controversial as thongs for seven year olds, or hooker dolls, and my daughter will learn at an extremely young age about breastfeeding as she sees mommy feed her little brother, but learning about it second hand seems like the better way to go. I see no reason for little girls to be mimicking breastfeeding.

Some may argue that this is no different than learning to take care of a baby doll in other ways, such as bottle feeding or changing diapers. But this is different. This is a little girl learning how to use her own body to take care of a baby, which in my opinion should be learned much later on. Like when she turns 30, gets married, and loses her virginity. I know how unrealistic I sound at the moment, but considering my daughter is only sixteen months old I would like to cling to my delusions for at least a few years more.

How do you feel about this doll? Learning tool or not?

Abortion Is Not Selfish

Abortion is not selfish. There I have said it, and now let the lynching begin. But before the virtual stoning commences, you have to read why, along with my disclaimer.
I am a mother of two (the second one is scheduled to pop out any day now). I personally could not envision my life without Munchie and Ducky. I am not even sure I could go through with an abortion.
But there are a lot of people out there who should not have children, either because they are bad parents, or simply because they did not want children to being with and these children will now grow up being resented and/or neglected. Which basically means these are bad parents. Regardless of how you look at it, these children will have deprived childhoods, and this will ultimately affect them the rest of their lives.
Essentially these mothers who are having abortions are saving their unborn children from years of emotional, and in a lot of cases, physical, anguish. Which is the responsible thing to do. Why bring a child into the world that you are going to neglect or resent?
What about adoption? Well, here is another question. Aren’t there enough children in this world who need to be adopted into loving homes? Isn’t there enough starvation, poverty and neglect? Do we need to add more children to the mix?
I agree that abortion should not be the option used in lieu of birth control, and there is a fine line between full on acceptance of the practice and outright misuse. However, before condemning anyone and everyone who has ever had to go through with it, put yourself in their shoes, realize that it was probably a very difficult situation and decision, and the outcome is most likely what is/was best for the unborn child. The mother is not being selfish by looking out for herself. She understands herself better than anyone else, and knows she is not the right person for the job.
How do you feel about abortion?