CHILDREN
Nothing prepares you adequately for how your life turns upside down when children arrive. You will never really be prepared for them. I used to remember watching movies of model kids and their parents. Speaking calmly and quietly to each other in their succinct British English. Going to bed at 7 pm every night and a 7 year old playing the piano like he was trained from the time he was in the womb to be a concert pianist. Right... Does that really happen in real life?
Nothing prepares you for the noise in the house. This includes their screaming and yours when they start fighting over a toy even if there were a thousand other ones lying around. Like a zombie heading straight for meat, they head straight for the toy that the other one is playing with! What about the tornado aftermath of two little boys playing with their multitude of toy cars? Now imagine getting woken up in the middle of the night because they wanted a drink of water. As you groggily walk out to the kitchen to get a cup, you "accidentally" stomp on a transformers rescue robot that is holding two fighting swords and a ladder on its back. You hold your scream in, for fear of waking everyone up even as tears stream down your eyes. You clutch your injured foot wishing you had cleaned up the mess before bedtime no matter how tired you were. Better still get the kids to clean up!
The frustration of being late and still having to watch your 4 year old carefully put on his sock. Scrutinising how and which way he should pull it. If you cared to spare the time, you would see the wonder in his eyes when he finally gets the sock on right! The joy of achievement of doing something for himself and the desire for your approval. To see you happy that he did it!
How do you even prepare yourself for the lack of your own personal space and time, when your flesh and blood comes bawling down the hallway into the toilet that you have just settled on to for your morning routine. The incessant requests of "I'm hungry! Are you done yet? I want a biscuit, I want cereal, I want water." I remember someone sharing a joke, he said "I am not afraid of zombies, I have small children...I know how to bar a door!"
Nothing prepares you for the joy that they bring! When they climb into your lap for a cuddle, when they kiss you on the mouth and say "I love you Mama", when they ask for a story and giggle when you tell them one. What about the unbridled carefree laughter of being tickled and the first time they learn to say a new word? The anxiety when they get sick and the heartache when they refuse food.
Children, we thought we were ready, we thought we were prepared and knew what we were in for. But every experience is as new as the first day and if we had to do it again, we would! Remember to have fun though because there is no such thing being totally ready! Just be prepared when you take a family we-fie, your kid is going to take the chance to drink up all your soda! 😂😋🥤
Check out @marrianewest and @freewritehouse to know more about freewrite! For more interesting reads about today's weekend freewrite, do go to Day6 of the Contest and have a great weekend!
