Lessons I've Learned as a Parent - Part 2

Forty-two years and counting

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to get married and have children, a lot of children. I thought it would be so much fun.

After 10 ½ months of marriage, I had my first baby.

The first thing I learned after having my baby was that my life was no longer my own.

I couldn’t sleep when I wanted to.

I couldn’t eat when I wanted to.

I couldn’t sit and watch a full T.V. show without interruption.

I couldn’t sit down and sew that new dress I wanted.

Everything I did had to be done between feeding the baby, changing the baby’s diaper, and taking care of any other things the baby needed.

I learned to get by on less sleep.

I learned to eat my dinner cold.

I learned that watching T.V. was not important.

I learned to allow myself more time to make that dress, and if I didn’t finish it in time, I could wear something else.

I learned to buy more food than I thought I would need for the next month because I couldn’t always go shopping when I planned to.

When more children came along, I learned to be a peace maker and settle fights among the kids.

I learned when to let them settle their own fights.

I learned what not to let a child eat when they had an upset stomach.

I learned that when my eighth child was sick and vomiting, it would take her a lot longer to recover than the other kids.

I learned that when my tenth child had a fever of 105, that he had an ear infection. I also learned to tell the doctor to start him on the third choice of medication because I knew the first two medications wouldn’t work and I wanted to save us two more trips back to the doctor.

I learned that each of my kids were different. What worked for one child did not always work for another child.

I learned that no matter how much the kids would fight with each other, they loved their brothers and sisters and would stand up for each other if they needed to.

I learned that once you are a parent, you are always a parent.

Now, all my kids are grown and moved out. They still call me for help with things.

They’ll call me to ask what temperature to put the oven on for baked potatoes.

They’ll call me to ask me how long it takes for rice to cook.

They’ll call me if they are driving home from work and it’s late and they need someone to keep them awake while they drive home.

They’ll call me when they just need to vent about something. They’ll call me just to see how I’m doing.

I learned that I must have done something right while raising my children, because they know I love them and they can call me day or night and I’ll be there for them.

The most important lessons.

Of all the things I’ve learned as a parent, there are two things that are the most important to me.

One, I love my children no matter what they say or do.

Two, it is the most rewarding job I could ever want and I wouldn’t change anything.

By Barbara Ward