Grand Statements (pub march 08)

I was sitting with a group of mums to be the other day, when the conversation turned to things they were and weren’t going to do in their parenting journey.

While I didn’t like to bring their hopes and dreams down with the mirth that was rising inside my belly, it got me thinking about the many things we find ourselves being experts about in our quest to be the best parents possible to the little critter growing slowly in our wombs.

Probably my favourite “I’m not going to…” statement is the one about how your children will just have to learn to not touch, as you won’t be moving any of your precious nick knacks out of harms way.

I’m thinking that the people who say these (unintentionally) funny gems, probably have had limited experience with the recently mobile upright.

 I have myself been in the firing line of a death ray stare at the home of a friend who was well used to my 18 month olds jammy hands on her lovely flat screen tele and glossy table, and it bothered her not a jot.  The death ray starer was at a meet up at the mutual friends place, and could not believe that I had “no control” over my toddly person and when the stares did not stop him (or encourage me to stop him) she actually muttered under her breath (but loudly enough for probably even the neighbours to hear) that there was no way her (4 months old at the time) child would be allowed to run riot like that, they would just have to learn not to touch.  I responded with the kind of look that only a harassed mother of a toddler can manage and replied that I would get back to her about that in about a years time, and our mutual friend saved the day with a lovely plate of baked things waved under our noses.

Truth be told, when our lovely little people get to “that stage”, there are many, many places we no longer go, as it becomes to hard to keep that free spirit entertained in a non destructive manner for long, and it makes outings to non child friendly places very stressful and not very fun. When we have friends and family who truly don’t care about the path of destruction, we embrace them very, very hard, and visit often.

Parenthood is often very hard and very lonely and just when you think you have got it sussed; they go and change the rules on you.  This stage, like all of the other will pass, and it will be onwards and upwards at lightening speed to the next stage.  My sage advice to parents on anything?

DON’T RULE ANYTHING OUT!!!