Although it’s no secret that raising kids is pretty darn difficult, most of us still spend our lives waiting for the day that we get to hold our own child in our arms and take in that amazing baby smell everyone always talks about. It’s a real thing, you know. In fact, most of us adopt this desire to have children when we’re children ourselves. Whether you just loved to play with dolls and make sure they were comfortable in their Malibu Barbie sports car when you were younger, or whether you just had your own little brother or sister to play and mess around with when you were a kid, most of us were taught to always be caring and compassionate to children – even if they’re not your own, and they irritate the heck out of you. Because of this, most of us count down the years on our body clock until we can have a few sprogs of our own or even venture down other parenting paths. Unfortunately, people seem to brush over what it really means to be a parent, and learning the parenting ropes doesn’t always end well…
According to UNICEF, around 353,000 babies are born around the world every single day – which is probably why you sometimes think you can hear a crying chorus when you wake up in the morning. This staggering numbers of births each day normal equates to a few hundred thousand parents who have suddenly found their lives turned upside down. After all, it’s pretty darn scary to realize that you have your own tiny human to look after. That’s a lot of pressure. Despite the nine months you have to prepare for your baby’s imminent arrival, nothing will really get you prepared for the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Sure, you can read every single baby book under the sun – but when you think about it, just because you read a driving manual doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive a car on the road. Yes, you can attend baby classes and wonder with other expectant mommies about the laughs and fun you’ll have with a brand new baby in your life, but you might find things a little different in a couple of months time when you’re all huddled in a corner for your weekly group crying session.
Of course, we’re kinda ignoring the obvious here… babies are adorable! They are adorable, they are entirely yours, and they will fill you with so much joy you’ll wonder where it all came from. In fact, your whole perception of the world will change. Not only will you jump with excitement at the news of your friends’ engagement, but you’ll also jump just as hard when your child takes their first trip to the potty. You might even take a picture of the end results. Yes, children will change your life – but parenting does require a lifelong commitment. You have to learn the ropes of parenting one step at a time, no matter whether that step is a step in the right direction, or a step closer to the ER department…
[post_page_title]Is that for sale?[/post_page_title]
Let’s be honest; there really is nothing better than a trip to IKEA. You get to wander around the never-ending aisles of beautiful homeware, you get to marvel at the selection of Swedish flat-pack furniture, and you get to try out the amazingly crafted showrooms. However, IKEA requires your undivided attention, which can get divided when you have a toddler in tow. So, this parent decided to take advantage of the fact that IKEA had basically created their own creche for children, and kept their child safe-ish for the duration of their visit. Is that for sale…. Or?
