Talking to her brought back all the wonderful plans I had before I had children on how I was going to do things with my baby and then I had him and I found myself doing all the things I said I would never do - sigh.
How naive I was way back then (all
Top 10 Things I Said I Would Never do with My Kid(s) but Did them Anyway
1. Make separate dinners
All though this is not the first "rule" I broke it was my top no-no. There was no way in hell I was going to make separate meals. My kids will eat what I give them or they won't eat at all. Thing is - he won't eat. At all. He would drink his milk and be done.
Forget trying to get him to eat meat, too. Won't happen. He tries it, now, every so often but my son does not like to eat meat, especially red meat. He tolerates chicken and turkey but he would rather eat veggies, cheese and fruit. Ironically, he loves turkey smokies and salami but that is where he draws the line. I can't say that I blame him.
He decided that he was going to try fried chicken and he ate all the skin off of it. I then explained and then demonstrated how to eat the rest of it, pointing out the meat and how it tears away from the bone... we are freakin' barbarians! Not going vegan, but all the same I see why he thinks his all meta is gross.
2. Sippy, pacifier or bottle past a certain age
The Husband was anti-pacifiers and I was anti-bottles (especially at night) but... because our son did not (or would not) use a pacifier for long and got hooked on using his bottle and then sippy for comfort - I caved putting my foot down and taking it away. I figured he would give it up when he was ready and I did not want to stress out over taking it away. For whatever reason, he needed it and at each stage be it pacifier, bottle or sippy - when he was ready to part with it he did.
He used the pacifier for about two months, then the bottle before he graduated to a sippy cup. He would not do anything before he was ready and when he was done, he was done. In the case of his sippy - he threw it in the trash one day. He could use a cup, but he wanted his sippy.
3. I will not dress my baby in pink
And, I tried really hard not to dress baby in pink but, we got a lot of hand me downs and everything was pink. Could not be helped. I am not crazy. Free, good quality clothes is not something to pass up. Now... she always grabs for the pinkest, frilliest dress she can grab - sigh. Did I mention she has to have a purse, too?
4. Join preschool PTA
A PTA for preschool? Ha! Yea, I joined and I am still being made fun of by friends who knew me when I could not change a diaper and broke out in hives when they asked me to hold their baby. A lot changed over the (last eight) years.
5. Have a half done baby book
Okay, maybe not half done... I finished his the first grader's first year and I am still working on his second year book, but I did a review on the one I made for the baby's... sans any milestone info. ugh.
6. Co-sleep
Co-sleeping, shared bed, family bed, attachment parenting... not. going. to. do. that. Ha! Double Ha! Not only do I co-sleep (still, she is 15 months) but I wore both my kids everywhere. Who knew there was a name for it? I just knew I hated the stroller and it is easier to sleep when I can roll over to nurse instead of getting up, out of bed to do it.
7. Have a TV in kids room
Call me crazy but the kids room is for sleeping, but since our apartment was not big enough for a play room and I am not watching Noogin (now Nick Jr.) any more then I have to. I know. Bad mommy for letting my kids watch TV but I have seen what kids are like when they are denied TV all together... Now that we will have a house the TV will be in the playroom but I don't think I would do it differently if I had to do over again.
9. Have more toys then books
This still makes my heart hurt a little. Sure they have a lot of books but, alas, toys out number them.
10. Take baby to church every week
I decided I was going to be that crazy lady, that takes her kids, screaming or not to church every week. Until I did. Usually, okay, always by myself. My parents had each other to help with the kids during mass. The Husband is not Catholic and he is usually at work. I teach PSR (it is like Sunday School) to make up for it.
I had so many good intentions. Despite my good intentions I don't think I paved the way to hell, yet, and I would not change anything on this... maybe the church one but that is more good old fashion guilt then anything else.
Do you agree with anything (or everything) on my list? Have a list of your own or maybe just one to share? Did you write your own post about this or like it? Feel free to share in the comments! I want to hear about it.
