No surprise, becoming a parent changes your life. Your priorities change and your lifestyle is altered. Most experiences are amazing and I have never regretted becoming a parent but that doesn’t mean that it is always easy. There are many moments when parenting is break-your-heart hard.
When your child once viewed you as the centre of the universe and knowledge keeper, only to have teachers and friends trump you when it comes to getting answers to her questions.
When your child works so hard on a presentation and proudly stands in front of the class to deliver his work, only to have one person laugh.
When your child likes to play equally with the boys and girls, only to discover that some find this ease with others intimidating and spread rumours to discourage people from accepting her friendship.
When your child loves to play games with other kids for the fun of it, only to not be picked for a team because he is not ‘the best’ player.
When your child shares something personal with a friend such as a worry or desire or fear, only to find out everyone in the class has been told the secret.
When your child is accepted to a program or school based on talent, only to be turned down because he doesn’t fit the look they want to project.
When your child is struggling with an assignment and you try to offer guidance without doing the work, only to find out that your help is ‘useless’.
When your child wants to be friends with everyone, only to discover that some people want her to choose one over another.
When your child does well in school, only to be scoffed at by students who are struggling.
When your child attracts the unwanted attention of another, only to be vilified because these feelings aren’t reciprocated.
When your child plans an activity with a friend, only to have the friend opted out last minute to hangout with someone else.
When your child is just being like any other child trying to find his or her place, only to have another focus their negativity on him or her for an unknown reason.
When your child comes home crying because of the actions of others your heart aches. I know growing up isn’t all sunshine though I wish that wasn’t the case. Sadly disappointment is part of life and trying to shelter my kids from it is not only impossible but it doesn’t prepare them for what lays ahead. I wish I could take all those tears and broken hears away, from my children and myself. I wish we lived in a society where kids weren’t so cruel to each other, where we were more accepting and forgiving. I wish I didn’t have examples to write in this post. I wish parenting wasn’t so hard. I wish. I wish.