Word on the street (literally, I heard this out on my street) is that Brian's recent post on what it's like to have kids has frightened a few people who have yet to have children of their own. So, in an effort to calm any prospective parents out there, I'd like to offer a slightly sunnier view of parenthood. Trust me, it ain't all bad. It's actually quite lovely most days.26 Reasons Why It's Wonderful to Have Kids
- To you, your own children's giggles are the most musical, heavenly sound on earth.
- Seeing the world through fresh and innocent eyes. Why DO geese honk? I don't know Kaylin, but I'll look into it for you.
- Kids' clothes are just so darned adorable, especially fresh out of the dryer when they're all warm and clean.
- Tiny toes and fingers...even if those tiny Maks toes are often sweaty and smelly and always have navy blue lint between them.
- Babies are never mean or spiteful, like many adults can be. They'll never cut you off in traffic or be rude to you on the phone. Babies are nice people to be around.
- Kids are always ready to dance with you, whenever the mood strikes.
- Kids' TV shows--though seemingly annoying at first--can be quite fun to watch.
- One word: hugs.
- There is so much cool baby and kids' gear out there, and although it can get pricey you can always justify buying it by (inappropriately) equating expensive baby gear with better parenting.
- Toothless baby grins are hilarious. Much funnier, and less creepy, than toothless great-grandfather grins.
- When you have kids you finally get to find out exactly how little sleep you can function on. And you're always surprised at how little that actually is.
- You get to enjoy lots of coffee! (See #11 above.)
- Holding your sleeping baby for just ten minutes can bring you as much calm and internal peace as a whole hour of overpriced yoga. And you don't need to squeeze into tight pants to do it.
- The pride you feel when your preschooler writes her name for the first time is ten times the pride you felt earning your own university degree.
- Having kids gives you an excuse to colour with crayons and finger paint.
- Cooking for your children exposes all the holes in your own diet. Not until I had kids did I discover that I rarely eat vegetables before 5pm.
- Though waking up with the kids at the crack of dawn is hard some days, you get to see the most glorious sunrises--and with your favourite little people by your side.
- You become desensitized to handling all sorts of bodily fluids. (I think this is a good thing.)
- Babies laugh at almost anything. They make you believe you are actually funny.
- Childbirth really is a mind-blowing miracle.
- You have an excuse to eat macaroni and cheese at least once a week.
- If your kids are cute they usually distract people's attention towards them and away from your worn clothes and messy "I-didn't-have-time-for-a-shower-because-the-kids-were-up-at-dawn" hair.
- Babies don't seem to mind if you kiss them all day long, or at least they can't yet form the words of complaint.
- You get to experience new "firsts" every single day, from big ones like first steps to little ones like a first taste of cotton candy--all magical in their own right.
- As long as your kids are safe and healthy, the rest of your problems seem managable and somewhat small.
- Hearing your baby say "I love you" makes your heart burst out of your chest. And there is no better feeling in the world.
