Then and Now: How becoming a Mom has changed me

We all know that "becoming a parent changes you." Yes, but how, exactly, does it change you? Here's a look at a few ways I'm different since becoming a parent, a little "then and now" examination of my life before kids...and after.

Then: I slept in until 10:00 or later on Saturdays. Ahh.... In a perfect world, I'd read until 1 a.m. and sleep until 10 a.m. Every day.
Now: I never sleep past 7:00. My kids usually wake up around 6:30, despite my earnest efforts to convince them to sleep later. I'm sure that someday -- when I have teenagers, maybe? -- I'll once again be able to sleep in. But until then, they serve as diligent little alarm clocks.

Then: I visited the doctor once a year. Unless I had a sinus infection -- then I'd visit twice. I didn't care what our copay was because I hardly ever needed to pay one.
Now: I am at the doctor's office all. the. time. Once you're done with the every-couple-months immunization visits that come with having a baby in the house, you move on to the constant illnesses that result from having a toddler who has no appreciation for hand sanitizer. And then you graduate directly to the School-Aged Kids Continual Plague, consisting of germs they find at school and happily share with you. I'm thinking I should start getting a volume discount on co-pays.

Then: I used to read mysteries and thrillers all the time.
Now: I read Sandra Boynton books and I Spy books to my youngest, and try to keep up with kid-lit along with my oldest. Oh, I still read those thrillers and mysteries, but my reading is much more diverse these days.

Then: I kept my chocolate stash on a shelf in the pantry.
Now: I keep my chocolate stash hidden several feet off the ground, buried under things that kids have no interest in, like napkins and place mats.

Then: I disliked housekeeping immensely.
Now: I dislike housekeeping immensely. (Okay, I guess that one hasn't changed.)

Then: I treated my cat with love and affection. She was my "baby."
Now: I treat my cat with tolerance (when she's behaving) or disdain (when she's puking on the off-white carpet). She's got two kids to compete with now. The kids are cuter and they help me clean up.

Then: Bookstore-browsing was a regular occurrence.
Now: Bookstore-browsing alone is a rare treat. Bookstore-browsing with a young child often ends in embarrassment, removing a screaming kid from the stacks and hoping no one notices me.

Then: I appreciated my husband for so many reasons, including his strong work ethic, smarts, determination, and kindness.
Now: All of the above, plus I adore the wonderful father he's become.

Then: I picked restaurants based on which ones served my favorite meals or desserts.
Now: I pick restaurants based on:

1. How likely they are to have a booth available (the better to trap my 3-year-old with)
2. How busy they are at 4:30 p.m. (so we bother fewer people if a meltdown occurs);
3. And whether or not their french fries are yummy enough to convince my kids to munch happily for long periods of time

Then: I knew exactly how I would structure our family and discipline our children so that they would be perfect...or close to it.
Now: I hope that I get through to my kids at least some of the time, and often feel like I'm winging it as a parent.

Then: I thought the idea of being a Mom was a nice one.
Now: I can't imagine not being a Mom. My kids -- while challenging at times, like most kids -- are awesome. They make me laugh, they make me think, and they fill my heart (as Hallmark-y as it sounds) with joy and love. The "Now" is way better than the "Then."

Comments

[cathymccaughan]

I LOVE this post. I keep chocolate hidden in the pocket of my ugly winter coat that the teenager will never borrow.

[Lynnie]

I hear ya on so many of your points! While I love all the change for the most part, the thing I miss the most from my "before" life is browsing in bookstores. I swear I haven't done that in five years. And when I go to the library I just grab 10 random books from an adult shelf figuring one might be good and they're free, right? And my chocolate stash? Right on the shelf where the kids keep eating it!!!! One day I'll learn!

[Jennifer, Snapshot]

This is SO great. Love the comparisons.

[bananas]

You nailed it!
Then- I scoffed at the idea of drive-through starbucks. you can't walk in and get your coffee?
Now- I drive miles out of my way to use a drive-through. it's just so... convenient!

[carolyn]

I totally relate to the reading bit -- and random library selections! but I see one real improvement in my overall reading and that is that my kid gets me reading non-fiction! i would rarely choose a non-fiction title pre-kids and post-college days. now, I'm discovering non-fiction titles that are fun to read and informative. Currently we're reading An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Know any other good ones?!