It’s Hard, But I Love This Stage Of Parenting

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I read a lot of blogs.

Obviously. Because, ya know, I have a blog and all.

And I don’t know why, but I keep running across this same underlying theme: this stage of life is hard, mothering is hard, marriage is hard, kids are hard, blah blah blah.

I mean, I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve felt that. And I’ve definitely written about that.

I’ve locked my kids out of the bathroom just so I could pee alone. I’ve made my husband sleep on the couch because his snoring was driving me insane. I’ve cried alone in the darkness of my closet, among my friends Michael Kors and Jessica Simpson. I’ve sat on the sofa binge-watching “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and shoveling peanut M&M’s into my face trying to eat my way away from anxiety and into some kind of sugar-induced stupor.

I would never ever EVER disagree that it can be difficult, you know, raising people, molding young minds, making sure they don’t turn into total asshats. Dating your spouse, balancing work life and home life and credit cards and t-ball games. All that jazz. It’s a lot. And it is hard. Absolutely.

But it’s hard because it’s meaningful. It’s hard because it’s important. It’s hard because it’s a freaking big deal.

And I don’t care whether this makes me the most unpopular person on the internet or not, I’ve gotta say it, loud and clear: I LOVE THIS STAGE. I love it with my whole heart. I love it from the top all the way down to those pudgy little baby toes that kick me in the middle of the night at the bottom. I looooooove it.

Yes, the money is tight. And yes, the calendars get complicated. And yes, HECK TO THE Y-E-S, the sleep is hard to come by.

But the late night snuggles, the silly laughs at the kitchen table, the random dances in the middle of the living room floor. Gah, they are so worth the work.

I’ve never had someone who needs me the way my children do, I’ve never had someone who loves me the way my husband does, and I’ve never had a tribe who just accepts me the way my friends do.

This stage is hard, but honestly, it’s pretty dang wonderful too. And the whole thrill of it all trumps the hard. It trumps the heck out of it.

Let’s get caught up in clapping about it instead of complaining about it. Let’s get entangled in loving on it instead of lashing out against it. Let’s get obsessed with marveling at the beauty of it all instead of missing out on it all.

Because this stage y’all, it doesn’t last long.

And so for me, personally, I don’t intend to merely survive it. No way. I may be alone on this island here, but I am dedicated and devoted to fully savoring every minute of it: every hard, every happy, every here-today-gone-tomorrow minute of it. Except for the parts where I have to clean dirty diapers. That part, can be for the birds.

But the rest of it: GIVE IT TO ME. I’ll take the simple over the sophisticated. I’ll take the easy over the extravagant. I’ll take the fun over the fancy. I’ll take the comfortable over the complex and the dull over the dramatic. I’ll take it any time, any day, any week. I’ll take it and I’ll kiss it right on its smudgy, pudgy, messy, dirty face.

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I love red lipstick, graphic tees, and Diet Dr. Pepper a little more than I probably should. Most days you can find me lounging in sweatpants, running kids from one place to the other like a crazy person. My family is my home and my passion is helping women find courage, confidence, and the deep-rooted knowledge that their life has a deep and significant purpose. Come follow me at In & Out Beauty by Amy.

1 COMMENT

  1. I always find it so fascinating how parents are so different in all the stages they love and can’t wait to get past (in a manner of speaking). My favorite is the newborn to 1 year but life is pretty fun with a 6 and 3 year old. A bit trying at times though!!

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