It is spring (albeit rainy and dreary here in the Northeast) but that means it is yard sale season. If any of you are like me, I LOVE “yarding” and finding those great buys on kids toys and clothes. On Friday evening I informed my husband that I was going to go “yarding” in the morning, and he was on his own for breakfast with the kids. I get up daily around 6:00 a. m. with my youngest, and do the tasks of getting everyone dressed, fed, and their teeth and hair brushed. It was a treat to leave the kids in my husband’s very capable hands, go to Wawa and get myself a coffee to enjoy while driving around looking for great yard sales.
I got out and spent about two hours shopping and around 10:00, I called my sister who had just rolled out of bed and asked if she wanted to join me, which she did.
We were happily shopping and came upon a friend’s house that was having her own yard sale. She commented that is was so nice that we (my sister and I) go “yarding” together! I promptly told her that it is a rare occurrence, as my sister is the mom to two teenagers and has no need, nor desire, to get up on a Saturday morning at the crack of dawn to root through other people’s stuff. I, on the other hand, was more than thrilled to be out with my Wawa coffee, without children!
It got me thinking about how easy my sister had it now. I know she had been in the stage I am now when her children were younger, but I was still a bit envious that she can sleep in, go to Wawa whenever she wants to get her own coffee, not worry about being home in time for that all important nap, and everything else parents to young children face.
I brought up my thoughts to my dear sister, who pretty much laughed at me. She explained that the stage of parenting that I am in is easier than hers. I have all my children with me pretty much all the time, and I am shaping and molding my children to be what I think is their best. She needs to be secure in how she completed this task and hope her children make decisions that will not negatively impact their future. She needs to handle the teenage temper tantrums, “and they involve WORDS”, unlike toddler temper tantrums that are pretty much screaming and flailing.
I thought again about my sister, and my envy that she doesn’t have to get up early, dress, brush teeth and hair for her teenagers. What she DOES have to do is worry about whose car they are in, stay up and wait for them to come home on a Friday night, keep them on track with schoolwork, and support them when they have arguments with their best friends.
Seems that this parenting thing doesn’t get any easier, it just gets to be a different kind of difficult. Mothers of young children have a physically demanding job, and mothers of teenagers have an emotionally demanding job; everything in between and after can be a combination of both! I am pretty sure that the worry parents have about their children never ceases, no matter what the stage. I know, from comments that are made, that my parents STILL worry about me, a married woman and mother of three!
What I have come to know is our own experiences on parenting based on the age or stage of our children is real and true. Talking with others can put our own thoughts and feelings into perspective, and the comfort in knowing that experiences and degrees of difficulties do change, but are manageable.
It is so very important it is to have the support of family and friends throughout each stage of parenting. No matter the age of your children, talk with other parents, your own parents, or a professional to get the support that all of us parents need.
Sincerely,
From the Stork’s Nest ~
Rebecca
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