When Connor was younger, people used to tell me I was so relaxed for being a first time parent. And I knew it was true. I looked around at some of my counterparts and knew I was much more relaxed about things. However, it wasn't until I had Isla that I realized I was actually more uptight about things with Connor than I had thought.
When Connor was an infant, I remember someone coming to see him with a cold. I pretty much felt like they wanted to kill my child. After all, everything I had read said if a baby gets a cold in their first three months of life, they would have to be hospitalized. When Isla was born, Connor had a cold. It wasn't like I could ship him off to live with someone else or anything. And guess what? Isla survived.
After Connor became totally mobile, the park wasn't a super fun place for me to meet people. After all, I was spending all my time following him up and down the jungle gyms trying to keep him from jumping off the side. It wasn't until this past year that I was much calmer at the park with him. Today while at the park with the kids, I realized I am just more relaxed. Isla wanted to go down a slide and I decided to just take the approach of seeing what would happen when she did it. Low and behold, she did fine. Of course, later she cried a little when she decided to go down a big slide. It just scared her. But she survived. And in all honesty, I still did some following of Isla up and down the jungle gyms, but nowhere near as much as I did with Connor.
It's funny how much perspective I have gained about myself just from having a second child and doing everything a second time. I guess it is true what they say, you are more relaxed the second time around...no matter how relaxed you were the first time around!
And please don't take this to believe that the mama bear instinct isn't alive and well in me, because it certainly is. Just know I'm not quite as psychotic at the park and will actually sit on the bench every once in a while. Such a luxury!
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Ha ha! I hate how they have those openings at the top of playgrounds. It freaks me out that my daughter will want to take the plunge. I was total opposite. I freaked out about everything. I think I've become much more relaxed though, now that Baby C is a little older.
ReplyDeleteSuch cute kids!! Isla's smile is so contagious.
ReplyDeleteI think I've gotten more relaxed with each kid. Some things just aren't as big of a deal as they used to be. Oh I can't wait for the day when I can let all 3 kids get their energy out while mommy takes a break on the bench.
I would never think your mama-bear instinct isn't there! No one in their right mind would think that you would not be up-in-arms the minute there's a REAL danger. I think this is a great approach to parenting. It helps your kids feel relaxed and feel freer to try new things as well. I know every parenting style has it's merits but I hope I'm like you..
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