One Thing I Wish I Realized With My Firstborn

I would give anything to go back in time to when we were new parents to our firstborn, and to have the confidence and ease we have now with our fourth baby. If I could find a way to package this, I would gift it to every expecting parent. (Along with a copy of my book, of course.)

It’s not that we feel like we have things figured out now. It’s that we know nobody does. We know babies are resilient and bouncy and will do what they will do, and they simply don’t care if you are concerned that others are judging you.

We know babies need happy parents more than they need worried parents.

We know that when the flight of beer comes- in those tiny glass cups

and the toddler sees the row of cheerful drinks, they must be thinking, “Wow! A whole assortment of drinks for me, sized to perfectly fit in my chubby toddler hands. How thoughtful, you guys!”

We can understand the confusion, the anger

and the sadness when they are told, “Um, no. Yeah, no, buddy.”

We can act quickly to empty one water cup into another, and pour the German wheat into the empty water cup. Then quickly and discreetly pour big sister’s orange cream soda into the empty toddler-sized beer glass…

And then give the soda in the toddler-sized beer glass to the toddler

to enjoy

with glee

while we continue to debate if we’d like to purchase the growler of the German wheat or the IPA.

Babies need happy parents more than they need worried parents.