Parenting is hard….no question about that.
Being an active parent, mom or dad, is a tough job.
But why does it seem that children are DETERMINED to make it harder on the mother?
In the newborn stage, of course it’s harder on the mother. We have the luxury of carrying them in our wombs for 40+ weeks, our skin pulls apart at it’s seams until it feels like we’ll simply rip in half, our breasts become pain inducing gourds that must eventually be emptied, and our lady parts? Well….we don’t need to go there.
Point being that in many ways, those early stages are terrible. Shouldn’t it be then that afterwards we get some sort of relief and co-parenting can begin?
Yes, yes there are many dads out there who are more than willing to pull their own weight when it comes to parenting and bless them….it’s needed! My husband too jumps when I ask him to most of the time.
The problem is that the KIDS don’t ask him to! At least, not nearly as often as they come to me with everything.
Every. Single. Thing.
Mom’s in the shower, dad’s on the couch….ask mom to open the fruit snack.
Mom’s going to the bathroom, dad’s in the kitchen….ask mom to pour a glass of milk.
Mom’s taking a once-in-lifetime nap, dad’s playing Playstation in the basement…. ask mom to get up and make lunch.
Why do they do this???
At times, it’s difficult not to blame my husband, or question if he simply chooses not to do things as well as I do to make sure they ask for mommy each time.
But really? He can open a fruit snack just fine. Or change a pull-up or pour a glass of milk.
But they don’t WANT him to do it. They want ME to do everything.
Bedtime? Mommy sings songs. (Dad will too, but not mommy’s songs)
Bath time? Mommy knows what spray to put in the hair to get the tangles out.
Owie? Mommy’s kisses heal broken skin and egos quicker than daddy’s do.
I know it’s not just me and my friends with small children complain as much as I do about the constant need for mommy.
It’s difficult. It’s irritating. It’s exhausting.
It’s not always going to be this way.
I’ve started to wonder if this stage in my life is one that I should wish so deeply passes by quickly. When in my life are they ever going to need me as much as they do now? When are they ever going to believe in the pit of their souls that mommy has all the answers?
When else will they walk by every available resource to ask me to be the one to help them?
Not forever. Not much longer.
I guess I’ll open the darn fruit snack for now…..
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