5 Things I’ve Learnt So Far as a Mother, by Donna // Guest Post

Today I have a post from the lovely Donna for my ‘5 Things I’ve Learnt So Far as a Mother’ series.

Becoming a parent was probably the steepest learning curve I have ever been on. So here are five things that I’ve learnt since I became a parent seven and a half years ago:

Parents can survive on such little sleep. Both of my children didn’t sleep for more than three hours at a time until they were fifteen months old and yet, somehow, I could function through the day – and night, when the children needed me. I would look after the children and cater to their needs whilst doing what needed doing at home – organising dinner, putting a load of washing on etc. I was always amazed that my body could keep going even though I felt exhausted – and I knew there would be a light at the end of the tunnel and sleep would improve eventually.

Your priorities change massively. Before children my priorities were keeping the house spotless, doing housework, watching series boxsets and going to see the latest movies as soon as they were released. Once the children arrived I physically couldn’t keep on top of the housework as much as before so I did the minimum and focused my time on the really important things – like cuddling a sleeping baby.

We’d spend our spare time at the park or seeing friends and family and we didn’t go out out very much at all. We just didn’t want to – our priorities had shifted. Instead, we’d have a takeaway and watch a movie on the TV, being happy in the knowledge that our baby was asleep upstairs. Only now, with both children at school, do we go out regularly again – seeing movies, going to concerts and having nights away in hotels. Our priorities are always changing as each year passes.

Having children opens up your world. Children have given us a pass to so many places that we hadn’t been to before we had them – soft play and activity centres, weekend morning cinema, Legoland, Drayton Manor… There are so many things that we just wouldn’t have experienced without having children in tow. Plus, they have pushed us into the world of nursery, school and clubs. So much of our time is taken up with the children’s school and social life that I’m not sure how we filled our time before children.

Having children automatically gives you something in common with so many other people. Wherever you are in the world, and in life, you will have children in common with so many other people. It gives you a talking point to strike up conversations or even friendships and from pregnancy onwards it helps you bond with other people. I met my most closest friend when I was pregnant with my first child and since then I have been able to strike up conversations at the children’s centre, at the doctors, at the school gates all through just having children in common.

Children make everything so much more exciting. Even on rainy, grey days the children find joy and excitement in something. They love wearing wellies, waving an umbrella around, collecting acorns or leaves and pretending any old stick is Stick Man who has come on an adventure. Having a little person by your side, and a little hand in yours, makes even the most mundane of days into an adventure and lets you see the whole world from a new perspective. One that is fluffy, rose tinted, full of magic and so, so positive.

Donna blogs over at What the Redhead said and is mum to Athena, 7 and Troy, 5 who are the main focus of both her life and her blog.