I am so glad that we have another baby. Getting to do things the second time around is so much easier than the first time. I feel like I am a more sane, down to earth mother this time. The first time around it is so easy to get caught up in the race. You moms know what I'm talking about.....the mommy rat race.
With your first kid, you are constantly comparing your babies to other people who have babies your childs age. I remember the fears I had at the time...."Will Preston always be small? Why doesn't he have any teeth yet? Should he use a sippy cup or drink from a real cup?" All of these thoughts run through your head so you use your friend's kids for your answers...which isn't always the smartest thing. Kids do things so different that you're always going to be running around in circles wondering why my kid isn't doing this or that.
Now that we have Owen, I have learned a lot of these lessons with Preston so I am much more laid back when it comes to milestones. Remember Owen's two best friends? They are running circles around him practically but this time I can honestly say I have peace. He will do what he needs to do, when he needs to do it! I don't need to worry. Have you ever met an older child who can't sit up or who doesn't have any teeth? Nope! Life has a way of working itself out.
The new thing I am hearing though is that the pressure that you felt when your child was a newborn comes back when they enter school for the first time. I have heard from two of my friends who have children in school and they report that the mommy rat race is alive and well!! One of my friends has a daughter who is in kindergarten and a lot of the children in those classes can already read!! Another friend says they are offerring Spanish in preschool. What's a girl to do?? I can't say I know the answers for sure, but I'm going to try and keep in mind what I said earlier, life has a way of working itself out. That is, if we let it.
So, I can't say I'm going to be perfect on this, but I'm going to try my hardest to not try and run the mommy rat race and to just let my kids be kids. And let them do things when they need to do them. I may need Wes to come along side me at times and say "Stacy, calm it down!" when I get overanxious. But don't we all need that at times?
2 comments:
I don't want to brag, but Ian learned how to walk, talk, and read over the weekend.
Nice Katrina!
I don't think Stacy is going to have this problem. Most of the other moms are probably going to be trying to keep up with her. I can't even keep up, and I don't even have kids--except the one that is currently using my uterus as a punching bag. But that doesn't quite count yet.
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