Can I Get A Parenting Do-Over Please?

Today I had a thought that my 3rd and 4th children are my do-over kids. They are my second chance at getting parenting right. I only hope that I don’t decide I need to do this again with another set of do-over kids.

I’m not a perfect parent but I know that I am a way better parent to my 2 youngest kids then I was to my 2 oldest.

7 years ago I was happy to give my first born formula…actually at 23 years of age I was delighted because it meant I could go have a beer or a vodka/orange and hang out with my friends.

Just 5 years later I decided that breast was best and would never imagine I would be tandem feeding a toddler and newborn at the same time…or without those so called friends.

Where I gladly gave my kids to daycare’s and was happy to spend my days going to school (or anywhere my kids weren’t) I now spend my days cuddling with my two little babies. I must mention I may put my two youngest kids in daycare for a week each just to get them potty trained.

When me and hubby go out during the day with our two youngest people always tell us we have a perfect family and admittedly it has crossed my mind that if we only had these two kids our lives would be so much easier.

But that is not the truth. Because the more kids you have the easier it gets. It’s not so much the kids as it is you.

You are the one that is changing and getting better.

You are the one that is taking back control over your choices

You no longer need to flip through parenting books to find out what’s recommended, because you know without a shadow of a doubt what you are comfortable doing. It may not be the social norm but it is what lets you sleep at night.

You are no longer phased by the little things because there are so many big things that will matter in the end. So your toddler ate some dog food…who cares! Look at it this way: she will no longer be going into the bowl to get snacks and make a mess because she now knows that it’s disgusting.

So at the end of the day my parenting has changed drastically over the last 7 years. Actually to be honest it has changed dramatically from day to day because I am changing every day.

This is called PROGRESS…let’s all repeat that…because progress is a good thing. And it is only when one over comes struggles that they can appreciate the progress.

So I will stop looking at my youngest kids as do-over kids because they are not…I am just a work in progress and that is OK.

Am I the only one who seems to change my parenting style with each kid and sometimes multiple times depending on the situations?

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Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

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