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The Mommy Club
April 2, 2008

A customer once told me that being a mom was like joining a very exclusive club.  She said that the pregnancy was a woman's initiation ritual into this club.  I was pregnant at the time and had my feelings hurt by the fact that this mom didn't think that I was part of the club yet.  It wasn't until after the birth of my daughter that I realized exactly what she meant. 

Craig Playstead sums it up nicely in an article entitled, "10 Things No One Tells You About Parenthood."  He states that the following concepts are foreign to non-parents or expectant parents:

1. The way you view the world changes.
2. You'll feel like a failure.
3. You have no time.
4. You don't get to go to the bathroom by yourself.
5. Parenthood will turn you soft.
6. They will embarrass you.
7. You will worry.
8. You won't be the parent you think you'll be.
9. You will be exposed to bizarre new illnesses.
10. You will experience a new form of unconditional love.

To this list, I would like to add a few things.  Feel free to comment if you have additional things that no one told you about parenthood.

11. You will occasionally feel like beating the snot out of your child for acting like, well, a child.
12. Your parents will buy things for your children that they never would have bought for you.  (Who wants a happy meal?)
13. All mothers are competitive with one another.  (I no longer have to compete because I've already won.)
14. 9 is the new 15.  Watch out tween moms.
15. Public school is not free, it's just cheaper than private school.
16. No matter how much you talk to them, your kids will NOT tell you everything.
17. You will embarrass them... no, they do not think you're "cool."
18. You will be enlightened as to much of what your parents have gone through in raising you.
19. You will never be able to imagine what your life was like before your child(ren) came into your life.
20. You will dream bigger for your child(ren) than you have ever dreamed for yourself.

My customer was right.  The pregnancy was the initiation (I'm not sure how that works for dads.  Feel free to chime in, dads.)  There were plenty of things about pregnancy that no one told me but it just didn't compare to what I'd learn as a parent.  I'm in the club.  Are you?  Newly so?  Welcome to parenthood.  There is no turning back now.

Posted by Kelly Nelson on April 2, 2008 | Comments (0)