How to be a parent and still have fun!
Becoming a parent is a hard transition, even tho Lil’ Duck is two now, I feel I haven’t fully settled into the parent role yet at times. However, it does get easier with time and as he isn’t quite so needy and sleepless. Here’s some things that help me to enjoy being a parent and save my sanity:
- Trips to Starbucks! Yes, I take the little guy, and yes, he is
alwaysusually good – something about getting your own cool cup of soy milk with whipped cream AND a slice of pumpkin loaf has a calming effect on even the crankiest mood of the toddler. I can sit and sip my latte and just enjoy his chatterings and happy grins, also enjoying his observations of the mundane items that are so fascinating to his little mind. - Relaxing and not doing it ALL today. Just slowing down and watching the little one play can help me enjoy him for all the sweet little things he does right now, as I also marvel at how he knows so much already! The cleaning and the errands can wait, but they grow up in an instant.
- Generally try to keep a happy attitude – for myself, I have so much to be thankful for, little things that I take for granted that other people really don’t have. It helps me get through the messes and the tantrums and the rough days.
- Take some time for yourself – even a nice hot shower alone can work wonders (ideally, some time out alone or with my husband, but that really rarely happens around here). I focus on the little things, the 5 minutes of peace while he discovers all of Daddy’s CDs (ha ha ha) or the few pages of a magazine that I got to read before it is taken over by a toddler who LOVES the photos…..
- Taking extra time while doing errands to explore things at his pace. Today we went to the grocery store, and we had enough time to marvel at the many different cake designs in the bakery, to feel the pineapples in the produce section, and puff at the fish balloons in the meat section. He’s a much happier little guy and I enjoy shopping a lot more when we can take a little time and play around with things (who knew a pineapple was so interesting, right?).
- Walks – even just around our place here, there is a lake and a pool and a nice open meadow where he loves to run around. A little sunshine always helps too
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Have more?? Add them in comments! We’re adding this post to the Problogger ”
How To” group writing project – check it out! Be sure to visit the rest of the Works For Me Wednesday tips for other great ideas as well.
Great advice for non-parents as well. Check out my how-to list on goal achievement.
I’m glad you found my how-to helpful.
I’m looking forward to someday becoming a parent. You offer some good tips/suggestions. Nice article!
good stuff! nice how-to… have to print this out and read it again when i am a parent
i do especially like the starbucks one but oh… i just remembered that I am “banned” from starbucks.
http://thefoologs.com/2006/09/01/cutting-down-on-starbucks-coffee/
I like this article. It’s heartwarming. I look forward to the day I have kids
I think the Problogger Group Writing Project is just great!
Hey MamaDuck!
Fantastic!
Hopefully if enough people read my post then yours will become even more handy! Heh.
By the way – your blog design and functionality is thoroughly putting me to shame!
Have a great day
Ross
My little boys are 19 months now. My father comes by for lunch a couple days a week and I get off the computer and we all have lunch together. It’s so fun to watch these guys. In the last couple weeks Iain is starting to sing along with The Wiggles. It’s so neat to watch them do more and more each day…..even if Jamie has torn wood off the walls and destroyed the lamp in his bedroom in the last 3 weeks alone.
I love them, I really do, no, really…
I could relate to the starbucks visit, the CD collection intrusion and the magazine stuff. My less than a year old daughter loves it whenever we drop starbucks. She loves the comfortable sofas and staring at people enjoying their dose of caffeine.
And yes, she likes pulling out my cd stuff and throwing them on the floor as well. And did I say that all our magazines at home have torn pages?
Great post. I don’t have kids, yet, but do hope to add a little one soon. You have provided some great pointers that I can use.
Thanks for the comment on my blog. I don’t have any kids yet, but I do enjoy watching my nieces growing up.
Thanks. Nice tips.
The challenge for me now is how to get them to sit quietly in a cinema ^-^
MamaDuck, what a wonderful post.
I recommend enjoying LilDuck as much as possible while he is still in what I have come to know as “the golden years”. When he becomes TeenDuck, things start getting a lot hairier and you may need to come back and look at this post again.
Great post MamaDuck.
I don’t have kids myself but I am an uncle and find great joy in having fun with my nephew. I was surprised at this because I was never much of a kid person. The great thing is teaching him how to make faces and making animal noises, and then giving him back to his mum! I guess I’m just a big orc at heart.
http://stroppsworld.com/2006/09/19/account-security/
Good tips. It’s important to slow down sometimes and do things at your child’s pace. It certainly gives you a different perspective on life!
I’ve got three daughters – 4.5, 3 and 1.5 years old. Man, they keep us busy!
They do enjoy a good walk. That’s a top tip. The only way I can get decent exercise these days is to bundle them into a pram (one or two at a time) and take them out for a half-hour walk. Sometimes I even take all three, with the older two in a double pram and the littlest in a backpack! Now that’s a workout!
You might also be interested in my contribution to the Problogger group writing project: Howw To Take Great Photos Of Children.
Have fun!
A great article as usual MamaDuck. I always have a big smile on my face when I am done reading on your site.
My how-to is up also. Check it out if you have time.
http://www.blushpersonals.com/dating-articles/how-to-make-her-melt-with-your-kiss.html
nice how to
too bad I’ll have to archive this, for now
till I get married…….and have kids
thanks
What makes this topic so hot, I wonder? Being a parent or still having fun?!
In any case, thank you so much for the post! Quite informational indeed
Great post. I have no children, but I’m chock full of imaginary friends.
Carolyn
Great post. I have 2 girls (13 and 7). We are in a different stage of life now but I remember the early days as being a challenging season of life. I wish I would have blogged all the ups and downs. Excellent idea and great site!!!
Scot
Good tips, Lil’ Duck
Mine would be: Remember they’re younger than you think. It’s easy – especially with the oldest – to put upon them greater expectations than they deserve for their age. This is the age old reason parents with multiple children are less demanding of the younger ones (and the older ones complain “I was never allowed to do that!”)
All the best with it.
Great how-to post. Thanks for checking out my how-to.
It’s the little little things with children that makes parents wonder why they didn’t have them earlier! Interesting post.. and thanks for giving a comment on my “Get Motivated…Demonstrated!” post….
My mom did a few of those things on the list such as taking time to explore the store at my pace when I was a kid. Some of my favorite memories of being a toddler.
I’m a little late getting to the comment on your how to list, but it’s still fabulous! Starbuck’s is my favorite place to escape and for some reason my little one is pretty content when we’re there…could be the music or the coffee cake that he gets to nibble on. Either way, I leave a more relaxed and refreshed mommy. Who knew a cup of coffee could be so powerful?
Thanks for visiting my blog too!
Good stuff…I think the topic is important not only for the parents, but for the kids. It’s important for them to see their parents are still real people who still have fun. All about raising healthy kids.
Btw, I found your blog via the Writing Project. Found the project too late to participate myself (e.g should have wrote a “Day Late, Dollar Short” blog).
Cheers.
Nice.
My kids have bad food alergies – anaphalactic reactions to everything containing nuts, egg, fish and sesame. Makes any trip to places like Starbucks a nightmare. You wouldn’t believe how many times we’ve asked “Does this contain traces of nuts?” only to be mislead by uninformed staff.
Would be interested to hear your take on how others handle this.
MamaDuck, honestly, this is a good list for anyone, even non-parents! We could all stand to slow the world down to a child’s pace and do a little exploration of the world around us from time to time. Thanks for sharing this list!
Genie
http://www.theinadvertentgardener.com
Great “how to.” Even more impressive, though, are the number of people who responded to what you wrote. You should be very proud of that type of response — it’s really phenomenal.
Donna
Firstly, thanks for visiting my site and commenting – one of my first ever.
Secondly, I can totally relate to all your suggestions. My two girls and I (4 & 1) love going to the library and then to Gloria Jeans for a babycino and smartie cookie. I find it is great chance to reflect on how blessed I am to have two beautiful girls. At the moment they are yelling at each other (the little one is trying to brush the big one’s hair) but I can still see the humour in the situation even if they can’t.
We love going to the park, dancing, singing, reading books, craft, water-play, cooking, catching up with friends and cuddling. I really enjoy the break I get when I load the girls into the double pram for a walk.
Thanks for sharing your insights. There is something so refreshing about sharing the joys of the journey.
Robyn
Mama Duck,
Thanks for visiting my site. Keep those visits coming! You’ve got a great site here, and I’ll be returning.
I’ve got 2 sons – one a teen, another a teen-to-be. I remember the times we had when they were both younger. With kids, there’s always ups and downs (at every age) – I’m glad to see that you’re sharing the ups. Keep your site going – you’ll definitely appreciate it over the years.
great tips and reminders. They grow up too quickly and it’s fun to enjoy the quiet moments.
I am always amazed at how the little things we do and don’t do make the biggest difference in our daily lives. ;o)
Hugs,
Holly
Holly’s Corner
Here via the Carnvial of Family Fun. ;o)
I definitely agree with taking time out for yourself! As parents, our lives get so busy between taking care of things that need to be done it’s very easy to feel guilty for not spending every minute possible with your little ones. But I’ve found taking time out for yourself really does enhances the time I do spend with my son, simply because giving myself a break allows me to feel recharged.
One additional suggestion I’d like to add is to go somewhere or do something that’s new with your child, even if it’s the most mundane activity for yourself. Seeing children experience something for the first time is so amazingly pure, you can almost share that newness and wonder all over again. I suppose there’s some tie-in here with your “let your child explore things at their own pace” point, with the idea being that there’s value in doing something just for the experience itself however that unfolds.
I regurlary frequent Starbucks with my 3 month old. It definately relieves me when I fall into a “I need to get out of the house” mood. Thank goodness for decaf while I am nursing too!
Great tips. I just wanted to add that my hubby and I also go to the drive in with our baby. Even if he starts crying it won’t disturb anyone else. We also like to frequent the park with baby either in stroller or in a sling. Although we don’t eat out much, many restaurants now offer take out…like Applebees…so you can get the feeling of eating out without the hassels of dragging Jr. along.