10 things children teach their parents
@blakealexiss
1 - The best day of your life… or maybe not!
"The day they were born, it was so wonderful…" That's true for some parents, but not for all. And that's okay! You have a whole lifetime to share wonderful moments with your child. Don't put pressure on yourself.
2 - A more or less obvious connection
The bond between a newborn and their parents is magical, but not necessarily immediate. Don't blame yourself! You have nothing to reproach yourself for. Take all the time you need to accept this new role and get to know this little being, who for now is still a stranger. Indulgence and patience will be your best allies.
3 - Tick tock… time flies
Ah, all those pre-baby times when we said: "I don't have time!" How could we, right? Now we're allowed to say it, and time flies even faster. Proof of that: our baby is growing at full speed, to the point where sometimes we'd love to hit pause.
4 - Letting go
Children have their own agenda and don't always respect your grown-up obligations. The schedule rarely goes as planned! It has to be said that through them we learn to adapt and to accept that we can't control everything.
5 - One lesson a day
You'll be surprised by the wisdom and open-mindedness of children. They impress us with their innocence, their curiosity, their unshakeable lightness and their sense of wonder at the simplest things. They are a breath of fresh air and a daily source of inspiration.
@simplicite_ici by @oliver.fritze for @milk_magazine
6 - Strength and a new breath
You may feel apprehensive about life as a parent and everything it entails: childbirth, postpartum, fatigue, raising a child, returning to work… That's perfectly normal. Yet you'll quickly realize that both body and mind have this capacity to overcome obstacles and transform them into energy. It's not uncommon, for instance, for parenthood to reveal entrepreneurial spirits or to spark new life projects that once seemed unimaginable.
7 - Intense fatigue
While you would give anything for a full 8-hour night's sleep, your child is not on board with that at all. Fatigue can quickly become your worst enemy! It prevents you from stepping back and often robs you of clear-headedness. The trick, if you have the opportunity, is to sleep when the baby sleeps… or to hand over the reins for a little nap. Hang in there.
8 - You'll be eager to go back to work
If you're dreading the moment of returning to work, you'll find that going back is actually beneficial. Rediscovering structure, a framework, colleagues, and taking on other tasks often does a world of good. Reuniting with your baby will only be sweeter! Of course, some parents return to work with a heavy heart, and again, there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their own pace and their own path.
9 - Silence in the house, mischief on the horizon!
If the house seems quiet, it's first pleasant… then suspicious. No shouts, no sounds of toys or little footsteps are often a sign of mischief. Keep your eyes and ears open…
10 - Stop comparing
The birth of a first child brings a flood of congratulations, joy… and unsolicited advice. Often well-meaning but mostly intrusive, filter what people tell you. Those around you tend to forget that every baby is unique, and that there is no single right way to do things. Guilt and comparison are pointless, especially in the age of social media. Don't forget that it's easy to film your beautiful KUMI bassinet while hiding the mess in the background.
In the end, if there's one thing to take away, it's that parenthood inevitably pushes you to question yourself, to discover, to surpass yourself. It's a unique, exhilarating and exhausting adventure. An unconditional love that cannot be learned, but that will teach you a great deal about yourself!
