Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would like to hear from parents of messed up druggies/prison inmates.
I worked for 3 years with prison inmates and one of the programs allowed mothers to keep their infants with them for the first few months while they breast fed.
I assure you, mothers in prison feel the exact same love, fear, exhaustion that you all do in regards to their newborns.
How is this germane to pp's comment?![]()
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:When I clicked on this thread, I was expecting to see post after post about how fabulous kids were and I was really surprised to see all of the people commenting how hard kids were and that it isn't worth it, etc. I am not suggesting that children are for everyone, and that everyone should have kids. But what I can tell you is that not only do I love but children, but I truly enjoy pretty much every moment I spend with them. My DH and I work full-time, so the logistics can be tough (and expensive), but there is no greater joy to me than seeing my kids at the end of the day. No matter how terrible my day at work might have been, and trust me, there have been many bad days, seeing my kids puts a smile on my face. I love watching them grow, I love their relationship with one another, and I love being a parent. I have never found parenting hard. Sure there are times when I'm really, truly tired, ok exhausted beyond belief, and days when I feel like my kids are sucking all our life savings (don't get me started on how much ballet costs), but I cannot imagine our lives without them. We still travel, we still go out to dinner, but just not as much. In fact, I want to be home on Friday nights with my kids and I don't miss going out that much. Yes, there are some trips that we haven't been able to take (yet), and I'd love to trade our SUV for a convertible, but I have never ever looked back. For me, being a parent is joyous, and it isn't that hard. So, no, having kids does not suck.
Look at the ages (for those who are posting them). Those who are saying how wonderful it is have older kids or at least one older kids. Those who are saying it sucks have a 6 month old and younger.
If you asked me when my child was 6 months old, I would have said it sucks and was terrible. Now that she's 3, I think it's totally amazing and even the sucky hard times are amazing. My kid is hysterical.
I have an infant, and would describe parenthood as wonderful. Your opinions regarding the experiences of parents with young babies have been duly noted, PP.
Sigh. Just saying those who view it as hard have light at the end of the tunnel. But yes, you are wonderful and perfect and my post was directly an attack on you and yours.
Overreact much? I'm just saying you don't need to respond to *every single comment* on this thread to say that parents of infants are the ones describing it as terrible, and just wait until they're older! We get it.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would like to hear from parents of messed up druggies/prison inmates.
I worked for 3 years with prison inmates and one of the programs allowed mothers to keep their infants with them for the first few months while they breast fed.
I assure you, mothers in prison feel the exact same love, fear, exhaustion that you all do in regards to their newborns.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I just had a kid. She's 4 months old and the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. That said it suck. Sucks big time. Being pregnant is horrible. Labor is beyond the worst thing ever. Lack of sleep, no freedom, no time. Taking a shower is an achievement. Going to the bathroom is a luxury. I didn't originally want kids and I should have stuck with that. But that said its an amazing often wonderful experience.
I could have written this post, except that my DS is 6 months. He is amazing, and I love him- but I now know why I said I did not want kids. I can and will be an awesome mom for this little guy, but I can imagine my life without being a Mom. For me, it is not all encompassing.
Your kids are way too young for you to have any perspective on this question. When my son was this age, I was miserable. At some point, they become little people and that's when any real payoff starts. You also get a lot of freedom back.
I'm the one with the 4 month old. You know what you will NEVER get the freedom you had Pre-kids back. Yeah I will get back more freedom than I have now, but real freedom doesn't hit until they're 18. And I think I have perspective. I know being a parent will be hard and there will be times of great joy, utter despair and everything in between. It's great seeing your kid grow as a person and being a part of making her who she is, and I truly love my daughter. But I would have been happy not having any kids at all. The OP asked for others people's truths and that's what I'm giving her. Who are you to say oh you don't know what you're talking about.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I just had a kid. She's 4 months old and the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. That said it suck. Sucks big time. Being pregnant is horrible. Labor is beyond the worst thing ever. Lack of sleep, no freedom, no time. Taking a shower is an achievement. Going to the bathroom is a luxury. I didn't originally want kids and I should have stuck with that. But that said its an amazing often wonderful experience.
I could have written this post, except that my DS is 6 months. He is amazing, and I love him- but I now know why I said I did not want kids. I can and will be an awesome mom for this little guy, but I can imagine my life without being a Mom. For me, it is not all encompassing.
Your kids are way too young for you to have any perspective on this question. When my son was this age, I was miserable. At some point, they become little people and that's when any real payoff starts. You also get a lot of freedom back.
I'm the one with the 4 month old. You know what you will NEVER get the freedom you had Pre-kids back. Yeah I will get back more freedom than I have now, but real freedom doesn't hit until they're 18. And I think I have perspective. I know being a parent will be hard and there will be times of great joy, utter despair and everything in between. It's great seeing your kid grow as a person and being a part of making her who she is, and I truly love my daughter. But I would have been happy not having any kids at all. The OP asked for others people's truths and that's what I'm giving her. Who are you to say oh you don't know what you're talking about.
Anonymous wrote:NO! I bought into the whining and the complaining. This is what people like to do. Few people talk about when something is wonderful or fantastic. It's easier to complain in general than to put into words how life-changingly spectacular having a kid is. Now I wish I had't listened to the complainers as I'm having trouble getting pregnant a second time. My kid rocks!
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I just had a kid. She's 4 months old and the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. That said it suck. Sucks big time. Being pregnant is horrible. Labor is beyond the worst thing ever. Lack of sleep, no freedom, no time. Taking a shower is an achievement. Going to the bathroom is a luxury. I didn't originally want kids and I should have stuck with that. But that said its an amazing often wonderful experience.
I could have written this post, except that my DS is 6 months. He is amazing, and I love him- but I now know why I said I did not want kids. I can and will be an awesome mom for this little guy, but I can imagine my life without being a Mom. For me, it is not all encompassing.
Your kids are way too young for you to have any perspective on this question. When my son was this age, I was miserable. At some point, they become little people and that's when any real payoff starts. You also get a lot of freedom back.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:When I clicked on this thread, I was expecting to see post after post about how fabulous kids were and I was really surprised to see all of the people commenting how hard kids were and that it isn't worth it, etc. I am not suggesting that children are for everyone, and that everyone should have kids. But what I can tell you is that not only do I love but children, but I truly enjoy pretty much every moment I spend with them. My DH and I work full-time, so the logistics can be tough (and expensive), but there is no greater joy to me than seeing my kids at the end of the day. No matter how terrible my day at work might have been, and trust me, there have been many bad days, seeing my kids puts a smile on my face. I love watching them grow, I love their relationship with one another, and I love being a parent. I have never found parenting hard. Sure there are times when I'm really, truly tired, ok exhausted beyond belief, and days when I feel like my kids are sucking all our life savings (don't get me started on how much ballet costs), but I cannot imagine our lives without them. We still travel, we still go out to dinner, but just not as much. In fact, I want to be home on Friday nights with my kids and I don't miss going out that much. Yes, there are some trips that we haven't been able to take (yet), and I'd love to trade our SUV for a convertible, but I have never ever looked back. For me, being a parent is joyous, and it isn't that hard. So, no, having kids does not suck.
Look at the ages (for those who are posting them). Those who are saying how wonderful it is have older kids or at least one older kids. Those who are saying it sucks have a 6 month old and younger.
If you asked me when my child was 6 months old, I would have said it sucks and was terrible. Now that she's 3, I think it's totally amazing and even the sucky hard times are amazing. My kid is hysterical.
I have an infant, and would describe parenthood as wonderful. Your opinions regarding the experiences of parents with young babies have been duly noted, PP.
Sigh. Just saying those who view it as hard have light at the end of the tunnel. But yes, you are wonderful and perfect and my post was directly an attack on you and yours.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It is an empirical question. Rather than ask on a website like this, you should look at the research. Unfortunately, that is pretty clear cut that people who have kids are happier than those that don't.
Sorry, meant to say those that don't have kids are happier than those that do!
Right, the problem with all of that research is that no one really agrees on what the definition of "happy" is. So whatever.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It is an empirical question. Rather than ask on a website like this, you should look at the research. Unfortunately, that is pretty clear cut that people who have kids are happier than those that don't.
Sorry, meant to say those that don't have kids are happier than those that do!
Right, the problem with all of that research is that no one really agrees on what the definition of "happy" is. So whatever.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It is an empirical question. Rather than ask on a website like this, you should look at the research. Unfortunately, that is pretty clear cut that people who have kids are happier than those that don't.
Sorry, meant to say those that don't have kids are happier than those that do!