Pre-children thinking vs. Post-children thinking/actions....are they different?

[pooh4evr]

Holy Cow! of course! little to no TV, perfect behavior always, no fast food, and a clean house! HA! When the 1st one was a baby and I had to go tothe basement of the apartment building to change laundry loads over - she was locked in the apt, in her swing watching Bear in the Big Blue House (of course I had the keys, and it was baout 10 min or less) or the first time you realize you can have more than a 5 minute shower while they watch TV, and that not dragging everyone out of the car to eat and going through a drive thru is soooo easy and they can get what they want and actually eat it! I agree with the co-= sleeping (these people are nuts!!) now I don't care, just crawl in and go to sleep!

 

[mumom95]

I actually have less tolerance for parents of bad behaving kids now that I have kids than before I had kids. Before I had kids and would see a kids misbehaving in public I'd just assume that's how kids are.

Now that I have kids and have worked my rear end off to teach them to behave in public it ticks me off to no end to see the parents that can't be bothered with parenting their kid. My kids certainly aren't perfect and believe me I could give you a list a mile long of their faults but if there is one thing they have been taught from a very young age it's that you behave when you are in a public setting. I may have chosen to have kids and to have to put up with their behavior but the other people in restaurants, stores, etc didn't necessarily choose it and shouldn't have to be subject to it.

 

[sunnyday123]

I actually have less tolerance for parents of bad behaving kids now that I have kids than before I had kids. Before I had kids and would see a kids misbehaving in public I'd just assume that's how kids are.

Now that I have kids and have worked my rear end off to teach them to behave in public it ticks me off to no end to see the parents that can't be bothered with parenting their kid. My kids certainly aren't perfect and believe me I could give you a list a mile long of their faults but if there is one thing they have been taught from a very young age it's that you behave when you are in a public setting. I may have chosen to have kids and to have to put up with their behavior but the other people in restaurants, stores, etc didn't necessarily choose it and shouldn't have to be subject to it.

Whew! I thought it was just me. We've had to leave a store ONCE, and you can bet we went back in and finished what we were doing. My ex sil told me one time they couldn't come to dinner because "Joey" wouldn't let them dress him. WHAT?? He was 4.

Parenting is hard, but it's worth the effort. I was definitely more tolerant of kids acting up because I too thought that's just what they did. My only post-children thinking is when I'm told that since I only have one child, I don't know what I'm talking about. Really? These are usually the people who have children running amok in the restaurant and knocking over stuff/people.

 

[phillmolly]

I always laugh when people freak out over the infamous dropped binkie or they catch their kid eating some stray piece of food that the kid found on the floor at a party or in the back seat of the mom mobile......a kids gonna eat some dirt, it's not worth the stress.

When I was pregnant I got DH a book, the new fathers survial guide, something like that, anyhow my favorite quote form the book is:

"With kid #1 I would pick up the paci and wash and boil it before I gave it back

With #2 I would wipe it on my shirt before I would give it back

With #3 I just kick right back to him"

That just made me laugh, my poor DS may be my firstborn but I definetly treat him like #3!!!

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I used to think that things like ringworm infections and numerous bruises on the legs were sure signs of abuse and neglect. Now I just pray that nobody notices the bruise-tastic legs that my oldest sports around and make sure I have the Lotrimin in the medicine cabinet.