No one really warns you about the trials, tribulations and strangeness of being a parent. You prepare as well as you can, discussing vaccination schedules, the best schools, when to start on solid foods. There are so many choices to make. But what about those moments that you never considered, when something unexpected, unknown or just inconceivable happens?
Parenting forums are rife with posts from others going through the same processes as you. Going through them you can find some real gems that stick with you. Here are five little nuggets of wisdom (or just hilarity) from those sites.
A Father’s Day Volunteering In a Kindergarten Class – The male perspective on what is often a woman’s experience is becoming less rare. That doesn’t mean it is any less humorous when we get an example of it. In this case, a man who had never before volunteered in his child’s kindergarten class gives his observations as he goes through the day.
What Makes a Real Woman – Let’s be honest, the world of mothers can be just a bit on the judgy side. And not just for mothers, but women in general…I have lost count of the number of “Real women have X” or “Real women are Y” posts on Facebook. This is a nice little call out to that mentality and a reminder that what makes a woman is what she makes of herself, not the expectations of others.
When Something Isn’t Right – All parents know the fear of waking up to the sudden screams and cries of their child. Rushing into their room, heart pounding, you are always expecting the worst. What this parent found was a lot less terrifying than they had feared, thankfully.
Creepy Midnight Laughter – Is there anything more beautiful than a child’s laughter? Yes, if that laughter is in the middle of the night and seemingly from nothing. This post made me laugh because it is such an innocent thing, but it is so sinister. It reminds me of when my children were younger and had a penchant for sleepwalking and talking.
A Day In The Life of A Parent of an ASD Teen – This is a more serious post, but one I think many parents here can appreciate. The father of a teen with Autism Spectrum Disorder and related behavioral issues talks about his struggle with his son’s daily meltdowns, aggressive behavior and his wife’s reaction to it all.
Find more posts like this at Sundance Academy.