Life Lessons That I Have Taught My Parents

No matter how prepared you think you are for the arrival of your new baby,  you will learn a few unexpected life lessons from us little bundles of fun and trouble.

If you thought you knew what unconditional love as before your little one arrives, think again!  When I was born, the first thing I can remember is the overwhelming feeling of love coming from my parents.  My little face and hands were etched on their hearts seconds after I saw the light, then their faces. If I felt and knew that when I was so little, my parents must have felt that one hundred times more.  That's mind boggling!

I don't know how patient you were before your first baby, but you have to learn it fast, as we will test it as soon as we possibly can.  When we are tiny, you have to have patience with us as you learn what our different cries mean and how to soothe us.  Sometimes there will be no particular reason that we cry and we cry for what seems like hours.  Then, we become toddlers and the word “no” becomes both ours and your most used word.  We really do test the patience of the most calmest of people.

Your toddler will help you perfect the art of bribery (I mean compromise).  When I am not getting my own way, my parents will often tell me that if I behave or stop crying I will get some bacon crisps, or go to the park, or feed ducks or one of my other favorite things and this will stop me and usually results on me banging on the front door, waiting to do said promised thing right now.  Is this bribery or compromise? I can't decide.

Before I arrived, my parents loved their lie ins and sleep.  But now they have not had a full nights sleep for more than two years and guess what - they have survived, proof that sleep is overrated. You can operate on half the amount of sleep that you have been previously used to.  What is a lie-in anyway?

I don't know how tidy you were before your baby arrives, but if you are a tidy person we will frustrate you and if you are a messy person we will frustrate you!  My Mom falls under the messy category and I drive her mad, insisting that any spillages are dealt with straight away, that every minute speck of dust is picked up from the floor (I make her pick it up as I don't like the hoover).  I also enjoy helping with the dishes and sorting out washing for the washing machine, which makes these more regular occurrences.  I also am known as the Hazel hurricane as I don't mind my toys, clothes or contents of the kitchen cupboard being all over the floor, so I am nightmare for Mom and Dad (Dad is the tidy person).

Lastly, as your little one learns about new things, you will be delighted at the simple pleasures that make them smile, whether it be tearing a piece of paper (I particularly like bills), Daddy making his foot bark, throwing stones into a stream or just being cuddled (to name a few).  It will be these times that form some of the greatest and happiest memories.

Hazel Nutt is a baby blogger who loves to share her take on the world through words and art.  She writes funny posts that should tickle the humor buds of most parents.  She particularly likes blogging her toddler opinions and advice on how to train parents, to ensure that other toddlers can also wrap their parents around their little fingers!  Find Hazel and her opinions here.  Please sit back, read and enjoy: http://www.HazelNutt.com 

Hazel Nutt also writes funny picture books.  Her first trilogy is about what squirrels do when people are looking the other way. Why not take a look at http://www.whatsquirrelsdo.com for more information on these delightful little curiosities.