As I see more friends around me planning to start families—I'm one of the few already there, a bit ahead of the curve—I wholeheartedly encourage it. But as you gear up for those birds-and-bees conversations, here's some straight talk from a mom who's been through it 😉.
I've felt misunderstood at times, like when I'm wrestling with a diaper change amid screaming kids in the supermarket or a restaurant, while friends observe, silently critiquing my approach. I miss our old ways: cozy couch hangs at my place with tea and endless chats, TLC on in the background, or spontaneous trips to town for drinks and dancing. That's all shifted now.
I hear you saying what you would and wouldn't do as parents, how you'd handle it all. I thought the same… until reality hit.
Here's the truth from my experience—and likely many other moms.
I planned to keep working as much as possible, just not full-time, chasing my ambitions. Anything but being homebound. Now, I'm grateful for those occasional days at home during maternity leave (which felt endless for me). At work, you ache for your kids, scrolling through photos in quiet moments.
I swore our living room would stay tidy—no toys everywhere, just a playroom upstairs. Reality? The kids have a dedicated corner downstairs packed with at least 30 cars, a garage, and a Duplo train track running nonstop.
They'd play with one toy at a time, cleaning up before switching—pure illusion. But it's pure joy watching them play independently or with you amid that toy explosion.
I assumed babyhood dragged on forever and was simple—you'd multitask like pre-kid life, enjoying showers, face masks, and grooming. Nope. A cry interrupts, and 10 minutes is fine, but an hour? Impossible. Out you go, one leg smooth, the other not.
Cuddling while binge-watching? Forget it. Every task squeezes between feeds; baby naps are unpredictable, chores pile up, groceries take forever, and shopping? The pram won't fit most fitting rooms, so you're peek-a-booing from behind the curtain. Online shopping for the win 😉.
Mornings were supposed to be calm: sandwich, milk, clothes—done. Allow two hours, especially post-shower. Quick makeup in traffic or the office lot works too.
Weekends? Hooray? More like hard work mixed with delight. Sometimes, you're thrilled for Monday back at the office.
I could go on.
Friends, I truly wish you all success in building your families. I'll help wrangle kids at dinners and offer knowing smiles at your exhaustion bags under the eyes. Toi toi toi!
