The "Wait till you're a mom..." blog

I was reading on the babycenter.com boards that there are people who are sick of being asked stupid things or told things that may be true for some but it's not necessarily going to be true for you. 

Or isn't if you're a parent already and expecting another...

I started thinking back on the few things I've heard or been told since I got pregnant and I've looked at each statement and said, "This doesn't have to be me, or anybody for that matter."

What I've heard most:

(I think I've touched on this in a much earlier blog.)

"Welcome to never sleeping again!"

"I hope you and your husband enjoyed the time you had alone, you'll never see those times again."

"You say now you won't let electronics and TV be a constant babysitter...
That's because you don't have kids yet."

I understand there are times when a baby doesn't sleep well for various reasons.
And I understand mine and my husband's life will look different once the baby is born.

BUT.

My parents got sleep when raising us.

They found time to be alone.

Our electronics and TV were held to a minimum and that suited everybody just fine.

I seriously don't get why people have allowed so many distractions into their lives?
Why always on the go?
Why never alone time for you and your husband?
Why have you stopped caring about yourself personally?
And why on earth do your kids have to be in EVERY activity known to mankind?!

I see how my parents raised us and I am blessed to have been raised in an environment where my parents made sure when knew when it was "Mommy & Daddy time" or it was time to turn off the TV or hey tough, it was nap time and yes we did have to eat that and try at least one "thank you" bite. Bedtime was bedtime no wiggle room around it, unless it was a holiday or special occasion. And no we NEVER slept in our parents bed with them. We were allowed in for a nightmare or sick but always showed back to our bed for the night. 

Where have family values gone?

Is spending time with your family at the dinner table and on Sunday not cool anymore?

Why have we suddenly allowed fancy games, TV shows and electronics numb out the amazing imaginations our children were naturally born with??
(I believe technology only holds a small part of growing a child's mind. There are so many other ways to enhance what's up in their little brains vs electronically stimulating them all the time.) 

Not to say I'll be a perfect parent.

haha That's so funny... I'm human.

Kinda lacking the whole perfect thing...

That's why it's a God sized issue!

We need to seek Him on raising our little ones and yes, sometimes we honestly forget.

We forget Him in general sometimes and that's when we need to be brought back to center page and wakeup to see we REALLY need His touch in our daily lives. It's because we're not perfect and we make mistakes. But in all of that, we do have choices.

Having a little one to raise sometimes scares me to death sometimes as I know I'll make my own mistakes and nobody wants to consider themselves anything but a great parent. My husband and I pray over our little bundle and give him to God in doing so. We can't wait to have our baby dedicated once he's born!! Something we just asked my dad to do once the time comes :)

Call me old fashion in some aspects.
 But I just don't understand today's world when raising a family.

Shannon <3