You deal with a lot of shit as a parent. I don’t need to say much more than that. Everyone knows the horror stories. Just read this excerpt from a draft post I have saved:
As the parents of a 3-year-old, my wife and I deal with whining and attitude on a daily basis. Our daughter is at a stage where she’s constantly testing the limits and rules, trying to push as much as she can. It’s a power of wills, to see if we’ll break.
Usually it’s over what seems like nothing at all. She can’t zip her coat, she didn’t get to watch TV before bed, she is thirsty and doesn’t want to wait until she’s finished going to the bathroom to get a drink. You know, normal stuff to freak out about. All of these situations lead her from being calm to crying and screaming in a few seconds.
But nothing in the past has come even close to what happened tonight. Tonight we experienced total meltdown.
That’s where I stopped writing. And that’s as far as the post will ever get. I either ran out of time or I was so horrified by what happened that I just couldn’t put it into words without reliving the traumatizing event.
My guess is the former, but the latter is definitely a possibility.
Here’s the kicker: I can’t for the life of me remember what that epic meltdown was.
What is rarely mentioned when talking to parents, probably because it’s not as hilarious as self-deprecating humor, is that you will remember far more of the wonderful experiences of this journey.
Going on a daddy-daughter date for some one on one time. Seeing her eyes light up at the sight of Christmas lights. Coming home from a business trip as your daughter screams “Daddy!” and jumps into your arms. When she says she loves you and misses you.
Even something as simple as singing silly songs in the car shoves the bad stuff out of your brain.
Of course there are awful tantrums and sleepless nights that might be burned into your memory. They will forever haunt you.
But the good memories will inevitably outweigh the bad.
Dan Hauk 