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.
Nice how to! I can’t wait till my wife and I have kids! Someday! We have a dog now and people say it is a good test! I submitted a how-to also. Check it out if you want to… How to keep your relationship healthy with your wife
You’re finding a new groove – so different I find from being a non-parent! I relish walking my daughter to her Montessori school and kissing my son as he goes off to the park with his beloved cargiver. Everyone getting what they need.
Great list of things to do! I’m definitely all about Starbucks!
A happy/positive attitude goes a long way…trust me..*smiling tightly* I really mean it..*hold on a second…if you two don’t knock it off…..oh, sorry for that interuption…*grin*…nah, seriously, staying positive is a wonderful thing to do! I’ve survived this far…my boys are 12 and 15.
Good for you Mama Duck. It’s not easy being a parent and having fun. I love going for walks with my kids, but I don’t like to take them to stores because they want to play with everything and buy every thing else. “I want this, daddy! Will you get it for me?”
Doesn’t the group writing project just rock. If you want you can check out my “How to” at http://www.dipnoi.org/archives/category/salvation/
My little girl is two-years old. Every other day or so, we dance together. We just put on some music and let loose. It’s a lot of fun and a great stress reliever. And when things start to get a little hairy or a mood is going sour, our private dance party does the trick.
Great list!
Wonderful post…we really do have to do these little things both for ourselves and our little ones, that’s for sure!
I wish I could make weekly trips to Starbucks with the kids, but I’m trading that for a week in Hawaii…so I guess I can’t complain! But guess what is on my extended family wish list this Christmas…. gift cards to my favorite place around here- Coffee People.
Anyway, I loved your post and how it reminds us to stop and savor the moments instead of being in such a rush all the time to “get things done”.
My hubbie and I finally went away for our 9th anniversary (first time in six years away from the kids) and it was good and bad. It was good being away but it was bad that I was tossing and turning and couldn’t sleep b/c I was so used to getting up in the middle of the night for my 18 month old daughter. So, the hubbie said we have to do this more often for me to get used to being away.
Great tips and very inspirational. I enjoyed it! I have some similar posts on my site. http://www.sharpmom.com
Good idea. I try to remember to be patient and smell the flowers. Not always great at it… but I give it my all.
Youre an awesome mum and lady
love reading your blog
mmmm…trips to starbucks!
wait until there are multiple kids and one is old enough to babysit. we now have a weekly date on saturday mornings. grocery shopping without the kids. it’s awesome.
Good tips. After you’ve been a parent for a while it’s sometimes shocking to get to do some of those individual things again. You can get so caught up in the daily necessities that you lose touch with yourself. It’s also great to stop for a minute and really enjoy the moment (with kids and without).
Great post! I know it’s cliché but as a mom of four young adults they really are only young once. It’s good you’re enjoying this special time in your life.
Nice. Very nice ‘how to.’
(Found you through ProBlogger)
Sounds exactly like my life….let’s see – long walks, sitting on the porch in the sun…or hell, reading some terrific blogs.
Wow, i wish i could have kids already…
Nice list. I’ll sure to remember this when I have kids of my own.
Awesome list. These are some great tips to keep in mind. Thanks for stopping by my post as well.
Children at that age are definitely fun but so demanding, I know I have two young one’s. My son is 4 1/2 years and his sister is 21 months so free time is very precious. There is always a moment you can reflect on that will make you smile, definitely outweighs the tantrums.
Nice tips on integrating your lil duck into your activities. Wait till he grows up and read these entries, he will be so amazed at what he did at the supermarket with the pineapple.
Great list! I love being a Mom. My husband doesn’t like to do certain activities like going to the zoo. Now I can take my daughter and go as often as I want. It’s going to be so much fun as she grows older to revisit some of the stuff I did as a kid but got too old to do!
This is great! My little one is only 8 months old so I am still trying to adjust and these ideas are a big help! THANKS!
My wife and I do not plan on starting to have children until she’s out of law school, so we have a few years. We are really looking forward to it though.
Hi, I found you through the problogger project, and I’m really glad I did! I kind of dread having kids and look forward to it at the same time; your post made me realize how wonderful life with kids can be.
I took part in the project too, with a post called “How to ‘buy’ happiness” at http://lifepbs.wordpress.com/2006/09/20/how-to-buy-happiness/
Here’s a tip from an old hand! hehe that fits right in with your post – when my son was little (he’s 6-3, 180# now YIKES) the sure-fire best way for me to get him to talk was to go outside, pick up a ball or a jump rope or anything that required him to be physically active and then just be quiet. If there was anything on his mind, it came out. We both had fun, the words started flowing, and our relationship grew roots that still hold us up through the separation of him being in MN and me here in Saudi Arabia. Take care and have fun with the little one!
Those are great ideas! I love that you “puffed at the fish” with him. Adorable!
It’s so important to slow down and enjoy the little things along with them. Great tips!
I started last year going to a cafe every morning to blog and then trying to be done with work by the time I pick up the little ones from mother’s day out, prek and school. Parenting can be tough, but that time at the cafe every day is a great way to recharge so that I can be ‘loving and attentive mommy’ rather than ‘monster mommy’.
All true! I’ll tell you, though, the real challenge begins when you have more than one child. Suddenly, multitasking takes on a whole new dimension.
Great site, Mama Duck.
I love this list of suggestions! I found myself nodding as I read thinking, ‘Yes, we do that!’ The 3 of us bike to Starbucks nearly every Saturday morning (it’s only 1 mile away) and sit in two of their comfy overstuffed chairs drinking hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream and munching on a slice of lemon pound cake. We get to relax, Snuggle Bug has a blast greeting all the dogs outside and loves watching all the other cyclists that show up. And the taking extra time while doing errands to explore things at his pace idea really works for us as well. He loves touching things and I let him, as long as it’s not breakable. What better way to learn than to explore?
Let’s see, another suggestion for this to help you to enjoy being a parent and save your sanity… watch closely for your child’s triumphant achievements and praise them often. They grow up so fast that if you don’t watch closely, you’ll miss things. It helps you, as a parent, to focus on the positives and the proud looks on their little faces when you recognize their achievements, however small or large, gives even the most frazzled parent a warm glow. We all need positive reinforcement from time to time, right?
I’ve posted a WFMW tip as well, involvinga list of age appropriate children’s chores. Stop by and take a peek if you have some time.
Good reminders to be gentle on ourselves and to maintain a positive and grateful attitude. I don’t have kids but I enjoyed your list!
I need to keep this in mind with my lil’ one.
Slow. Down. Enjoy. His. Childhood. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing these inspirational thoughts. I forwarded your post to my daughter, who will definitely appreciate your sentiments!
Hi Mama Duck,
My little one is 19 mos and is already showing signs of terrible twos. I like you “Walks” idea. I take my little Bubbie out for 1-2 hour walks on the weekend. He loves and (most of the time) and it’s a good time for me to wind down from the week.
Thanks for the great ideas.
These are great ideas I really try to live by esp. now that I have two. They are the most amazing little people and you are right, if you look for it, they can make almost every single minute fun. (even when they are being mischeivous!)
I’ve reached you through the Problogger ‘how-to’s … but I find I’ve been here before! I can’t agree more on the ‘having fun’ thing – the trick is to learn to slow down to a child’s pace, and ignore all the other things clamouring for your attention on the To Do list. Not always very easy, and sometimes you just have to do the grown-up things. They say it is one of the benefits of being a grandparent – there just is more time to ‘be’ together.
hey mamaduck!! thanks for visiting my “how-to” post on How To Live With Teenagers!
Yes, you have something more to look forward to! thus spoke churchpundit!
Great post! I look forward to having kids one day. Thanks for the info.
Hi, Mamaduck! I like your “How To”! Nice blog! Keep up the good work!
It really is a good idea to slow down. It’s so easy to get caught up in the everything of everything and I miss so much this way.
Great reminders. Thanks for commenting on my tips as well.
Very good tips on taking things on a slower pace. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind when I have kids in the near future
Great tips. I have five children that we homeschool and taking it easy every now, giving them time to explore and learn at their own pace is one of the keys to our homeschooling success.
What great reminders, every one of them! This was a perfect read for my afternoon. Thank you.
I like the Starbuck’s idea!
Great thoughts and you are right about how important it is to have fun with our kids. They grow up too darn fast! My baby is graduating high school this year
And definetely take them to Starbucks – never too young to make them into Starbuck’s fans!
Hmm. I’ll remember all those things when I start having kids… which won’t be for a long, long time.
Keep up the good work mamaduck.
This post offers a much-needed dose of optimism and inspiration.
Great job! I’m not going to be a parent for a good while, but I’m happy to be reminded that it’s something to look forward to.