Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became A Mother

Women of Faith Blog is asking Bloggers to share their List of
10 things they wish we knew before we became mothers 
- so here's my list! (I copied some of them b/c they fit perfectly!!  And I added one more!)

1. That newborns are SO exhaustingly difficult!  Or mine were at least!  One was gassy and one was just independently fussy!

2. That the child throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store would one day be MY child! I SOOO thought I would never allow my child to do such a thing or anything like that. And well - I didn't allow them to - but they did it anyway!!! AND I was ALWAYS the first to say "My child will NEVER act like that!"  Hahahahaha-h-a!

3. That you can't make a kid sleep OR eat. SOMETIMES you can make them stay in their bed but you can't make them sleep AND you can make them sit in their chair until the sun sets but you can't make them eat.

4. That newborn and toddler clothes can fit one day and not the next!  I'm not sure who phrased it a "growth spurt" but they weren't kidding.  Thank goodness for at least some hand-me-downs!!

5. That you can't make a kid go "potty". They will sit on it, wipe it and flush it - but not 'release' it!

6. That there would be SOOO many 'phases'! Who came up with these 'phases' and why can't they just be phased OUT!

7. That I would WANT to be a stay-at-home mom! I thought I would want a career but all I really want is to have THIS time with them.  (Well, and so they wouldn't come home saying things like "Doodie Head "and "Poopoo Butt"!

8. That I would feel so guilty when my children are "bad". When they aren't acting perfect, I blame myself.  The blame maybe for working, not punishing correctly, not being consistent or whatever I can come up with to excuse their God given nature.

9. That it would take more patience than I had. Good parenting takes A LOT of patience and gentleness! Something I am still working on!

10. That I would get angry with my children and yell. Surprise! I didn't know I had a temper this extreme! The first time I felt my face get hot and I raised my voice, I was shocked at myself!  That's not the kind of mother I want to be so I am working on that, too!  I'm just glad a neighbor hasn't called DHR yet!!

11.That children would take such a toll on a marriage.  Even the strongest marriage will be tested when it comes to children.  Between arguments about discipline and pure exhaustion, your marriage must prevail.


"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

“Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you'll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth.” (Deut 11:18-21)