Parenting poll

Temp782982187506089 · July 2009

Are you anything like the parent you thought would be? Either when you were little, or when you were pregnant and thought about how you would do certain things, have those ideas changed at all?

QCBride06 · July 2009

I always thought I'd be cool with having babysitters. I knew people who had older children and only ever had family babysit for them, which I always thought was strange. But now that I am a parent I know how difficult it is to leave your DC. Although we are having a "stranger" babysit Will for the first time this Friday. My MIL is good friends with her but we've never met.......

MrsHughesNC · July 2009

I'm pretty much how I thought I'd be. I'm generally a very laid back parent, and that's how I expected I would be.

I agree with QC that I was always adamant that we were going to find an babysitter, other than my parents or IL's, and go out at least once a month, from very early on. We've still yet to have anyone other than our parents watch her (well, aside from DC!)

Temp782982187506089 · July 2009

I never thought I would allow co-sleeping and didn't see the issue with CIO, but I love having him in bed with us and can't stand to hear him cry. Also, when I was little I thought that I would never send my kids to private school because I hated it, and we have already decided on which private school O will go to. Mainly because of his NF he can have learning issues, so we want to keep him in a smaller school where he will get more attention, but still.

7miles · July 2009

When I was pregnant, I was all by the book (well except for that occasional drink thing). But I thought I was going to be the most overprotective parent in the world. I also thought I would be highly judgemental of how other moms did things. Turns out, I'm neither. I'm way more casual about this whole bringing up baby thing than I ever thought possible. I realize that my kid needs to explore the world and make his own mistakes like I did and I realize I have better things to think about than how other people raise their kids. Of course, I still have a problem with parents that do not deserve or appreciate their blessings either (see parents that let rats chew toes off baby girl in Ohio, WTF? Makes me want to hurt them very badly.) But my point is, I don't get all indignant if some other mother uses disposable diapers or is a co-sleeper or whatever. None of my damn business.

marryingacoach · July 2009

I used to be pretty hard core on discipline and I still am for the most part but now I understand why some kids are so undisciplined. It is hard work and it is much easier to let them have whatever it is they want.

I think parenting is harder than I ever thought it would be.. I guess in my mind when I was younger and pregnant I though it was all puppies and rainbows... but raising a child is hardwork (but very rewarding!)

mrsNnearly · July 2009

So far I am pretty much the laid back parent I thought I'd be. The only real differences are that I am a SAHM for now b/c I got laid off in Jan. But for now I plan to go back to work when I find a job. Also, the idea of BFing always freaked me out but I have done really well with it, a lot better than I anticipated.

MrsHughesNC · July 2009

7miles:

But my point is, I don't get all indignant if some other mother uses disposable diapers or is a co-sleeper or whatever. None of my damn business.

Ditto!

I've learned about so many alternative baby rearing methods/ideals that I'd honestly probably know nothing about if it weren't for this board. Some appeal to me, some do not. But what one does with their kid is not my business, nor is what I do theirs. Smile

MrsHughesNC · July 2009

MrsLee04:
As far as babysitters, I started babysitting kids, even little babies, when I was 11. Now I'm like there's no way in hell I'd do that, and I'm even apprehensive about teenagers. I plan to look into college students when the time comes.

And ditto this too!

Yikes! Indifferent

Temp782982187506089 · July 2009

I am the same way about babysitters, I started when I was 11 or 12 and I can't imagine letting a 12 year old watch O. I think that parenting is a lot harder than I imagined and there are so many more things to think about like starting solids, cutting teeth, methods for sleeping and cloth diapering.

And MrsLee, I once was at the airport around 10am waiting for a flight and saw a family with a toddler and 9-10 month old waiting at my gate. The kids were both eating ice cream and just had Doritos, and the only drink the parents had were HUGE things of soda. I try not to judge other parents and their way of doing things, but that was insane.

raceyrae · July 2009

MrsHughesNC:
MrsLee04:

As far as babysitters, I started babysitting kids, even little babies, when I was 11. Now I'm like there's no way in hell I'd do that, and I'm even apprehensive about teenagers. I plan to look into college students when the time comes.

And ditto this too!

Yikes!

Same here. I started babysitting when I was 10. There is no way I would let a 10 yr old take care of Natalie!

I think I've turned out to be the parent I had expected or thought I would be. I'm actually more surprised by DH -- he's much more overprotective than I thought he was going to be.

MargieMom · July 2009

No!!! When I was growing up, and when I worked as a nanny in undergrad and grad school I thought FOR SURE I would be a stay at home mom...now, I heart working...and it makes me a better mom. That's the biggest "shocking" thing to me. Also, you don't "need" as much stuff as you think you do when you're pg.

WendyNC · July 2009

I think I'm more laid back than I thought I would be b/c normally I'm not a very laid back person. I don't get too hung up on nit picky things. As long as she is happy and healthy, then I'm not going to stress about every little thing that comes along.

I also try not to judge other moms. Another mom judged me for letting her CIO when she was 4 months and I said right then and there, you do what's best for your family and don't worry what others are doing with theirs. Getting hung up on every little thing and judging others is a waste of energy for me.

starz080 · July 2009

MrsLee04:
MrsHughesNC:
MrsLee04:
As far as babysitters, I started babysitting kids, even little babies, when I was 11. Now I'm like there's no way in hell I'd do that, and I'm even apprehensive about teenagers. I plan to look into college students when the time comes.
And ditto this too!
Yikes!
Now I think, what the hell were they thinking? I had a mom who had me regularly (every Friday one summer) watch her new baby and 4 year old, when I was 11!!!! Yikes is right!

I'm the same way! I started babysitting a young baby at 12! I also babysat a toddler when I was 12 too. In both cases, the parents came to my house (one of them was 20 min away) and picked me up and then drove me back home after I babysat for them! Craziness.

starz080 · July 2009

I've been a lot more laid back than I ever thought I would be. I was raised by extremely overprotective parents and I honestly thought I'd take after them. Which I am definitely overprotective, but I'm still pretty laid back though. I think my parenting style might change over time though. DH and I were called "laid back parents" by a relative and that made me 2nd guess myself. I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or insult. Who knows, but I feel like I'm doing the best I can. I'm just trying to keep common sense things in mind and not overstress about the small stuff. Life is too short to get caught up in the details and I want to enjoy my little girl and parenthood.

murph04 · July 2009

I'm a more laid back parent than I thought I'd be. When I was pregnant I was worried that I'd freak out about every sneeze or weird noise from my child or whatever, but it turns out I'm not the worrywart I thought I'd be.

Also, I was apprehenisve about the infant stage before I had Nolan. I knew I loved kids -- kids that can talk and communicate and you can play with. But I'd never spent a lot of time around small babies and I was worried I'd be afraid to handle and play with a baby because of my inexperience. That turned out not to be the case at all -- from day one I couldn't get enough of holding, playing with and hanging out with my baby boy!

toadslove · July 2009

I too am a lot more laid back than I thought I would be. We try to do couples only stuff at least 1-2x a month sometimes more. We have a ton of family in the area so we dont need an outside babysitter -- but anytime family offers I almost always take them up on it. I think its good for DH and I to have adult time, and reconnect as a couple without Alex. We went for a week to Jamaica without Alex and it was one of the best trips because we really needed that time as a couple.

I knew going into this that i would be the one doing the discipline and thats pretty much par for the course. But when it comes to discipline -- Im firm.

I thought I knew I always wanted 2 -- now Im not so sure. I mean Alex was a breeze as a baby so I feel like #2 might rock our world.

Parenting is a lot harder than I ever imagined. But like Coach said its the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Want a personalized experience?

Parenting poll

Re: Parenting poll

Choose Another Board

Search Boards