Becoming A Parent

***en entry to parenting blog carnival***

It brings a lot of surprises. Some pleasant... some uncalled for. When I was single, I was envisioning myself as a best mother one could ever be. I got married, thinking I could have as many kids as we wanted to have. I was very idealistic. I thought when I give birth, I want my baby to be the smartest, most advanced, most disciplined, whatever-you-can-think-of mosts one could ever be. I got my first baby. True, he was the most beautiful thing to behold. I started doing whatever the books and articles in the internet I had read said. I wanted a perfect baby. It didn't last long. My ideals turned into reality. I couldn't have a perfect baby. I couldn't even have more than 2! As in... It's already a challenge to have one, harder to have the 2nd... what more with 3?


You see, becoming a parent makes you realize a lot of things. Probably once in your life, you were very idealistic. You want things your own way. (The baby goes the other way). Practically all your ideals are gone. You are now faced with reality. And we are surprised.


I have laid back a little after I realized I couldn't turn my baby into the smartest-cutest-most-intelligent kid on the block. I have to respect his limits. I have to realize who he is and what his personality is. I have to discover his own strengths and weaknesses. I have to enhance whatever strengths he has and mitigate whatever weaknesses he has. Yes, he is an extension of me and my hubby. But he is not us. And guess what... he could be better. I mean, better than what we expected of him. As long as we, as parents nurture him and love him with all our hearts and even all our mights.

Becoming a parent is one of the noblest task one could be. One can become a parent easily but to be a good parent is another story. It takes a bit of sacrifice, especially when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night looking for milk. It takes effort to read to him nightly just so we help him with his language development. It takes an energy to usher him when he starts walking. It takes just about everything just to nurture him. It takes unconditional love to go on and parent him... all the days of his life. Above all, it takes God to give us wisdom, strength and love as we guide, nurture and love our kids.

After having said all these, they may surprise us by being smart, well-behaved, etc... but there's no better reward than hearing them say I love you, Mom with matching hugs and kisses. This is just from a mother's heart. I hope I'm making sense...

Related Article: My Birth Story