Anonymous wrote:Weekends. Having to wake at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday and figure out how to entertain my brood, and knowing that there are going to be tears and fights because someone doesn't want to put their shoes on. Weekends are what I miss the most.

Yup. I cannot wait for Mondays.

Anonymous wrote:This sounds obvious, but it was a huge adjustment to completely change my concept of time. Before kids I was used to my days generally being my own and having commitments for fixed amounts of time (for example work, doctors appointments, etc.)

After kids, all of my time was accounted for and I had to make appointments (babysitters) to have time to myself.

This was really, really hard.

+1, same here. It feels like I have to ask for permission, either from my DH so that he can be home from work so that I can do things, or from my mom- she watches DC, a lot.

Weekends. Having to wake at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday and figure out how to entertain my brood, and knowing that there are going to be tears and fights because someone doesn't want to put their shoes on. Weekends are what I miss the most.

Anonymous wrote:Not sleeping and not having the guts to do CIO so every waking moment I think about sleep. I despise how tired I am.

Ferber and your life will change in about 3-6 days. No need to endure this torture.

Being tired most of the time. I'm a single parent so I never get a break. My doctor discovered I had an underactive thyroid earlier this year and I thought that must be the reason I am so tired. Medication doesn't really make me feel less tired but my blood tests are normal now. My DS is starting puberty and that is exhausting too. Oh and I am a teacher in an ES so that is tiring as well. It is nothing compared to the sleep deprivation I experienced during my son's first year. That was hellish. But we are healthy so I am very grateful for that.

Worrying. The constant worrying about everything from the relatively minor "are they eating enough vegetables? A well balanced diet? Sleeping enough?" To the not as minor worries over all the dangers in the world and all the horrible things that can go wrong in life (illnesses, accidents, injuries, death) to the things that fall somewhere in between like are they getting a good enough education? Do they have enough friends, the "right" friends? Are they happy?

It never ends...even when things seem to be going well the worrying over my kids can be overwhelming.

Parenting years 1-2
Learning how to advocate for a child born with a birth defect and get them the right medical professionals and treatments
Parenting years 2-5
The sleep deprivation as child # 2 was a horrible sleeper - but both myself and DH worked FT
Parenting years 6-7
The lost years
Parenting years 8-12
Trying to diagnosis a child with a complex medical condition. The drs appointments, specialists, tests, scans.
And walking through children's hospital for each of those and being thankful b/c your child's conditions are so much better than the children around you.
Trying to get the support for a child with a severe learning disability. Our public schools but up so many obstacles to help children who need it. If they put the effort into supporting children and families - the outcomes would be better. Being thankful that we have the resources to navigate this as I am confident that families in other parts of the city have children with a similar profile who are not getting the services they need.

Knowing that someone may hurt her or kill her by accident or on purpose. She is a newly driving teen, is very level headed, and responsible. I work in criminal justice and see how bad things happen to good people on a daily basis.

Constant stress over childcare and finances (as in, not having enough money to afford the child care I really want for my child).

In the early days, the sleeplessness and constant need for supervision. The fear that they'd get into something dangerous while I was distracted.
Now, at ages 11 and 15, it's constant anxiety over their well being and trying to meet all their needs. Grades, friends, dangers, drugs, sex, you name it. And stress over doctors dentists, orthodontist, therapy for sprain, counselor, tutor. I worry and stress all the time and I don't really enjoy parenting. I love my kids and cannot wait until they are old enough to take care of themselves.

Parenting is a long, long marathon.

Trying to feed them, especially the picky eater. I don’t like shopping for the food, preparing the food, cleaning up after the food but they need to eat several times a day. Miss college days, when I’d be happy enough heating up a can of corn for dinner.

Losing my looks for big chuns of time while I was too hormonal and exhausted to care.

OP, I feel the same way when my kids get sick. My toddler has basically had a cold/ear infection since he started preschool this fall. I hate seeing him feel bad. I hate that my other kids get stuck inside during the weekend because the little one has a fever. I hate trying to piece together childcare when he cannot go to school. I know it gets better, but this stage always makes me feel depressed.

Not sleeping and not having the guts to do CIO so every waking moment I think about sleep. I despise how tired I am.

Dealing with my daughters tween anxiety and awkwardness as she started middle school. It’s like I could feel it..it made me feel anxious. It took all I had to bite my tongue and let her be herself and work through her own issues. She is in HS now and doing fine but that was a rough few years.