As parents, we do a lot of things for our kids not because we WANT to, but because we love them. This is a great list of some of those things. Number 2 made the fact my house is overrun with toys much more bearable.
Parenting

5 Things We Do Because We Love Our Kids

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As parents, we do a lot of things for our kids not because we WANT to, but because we love them. This is a great list of some of those things. Number 2 made the fact my house is overrun with toys much more bearable.[nextpage title=”Page 1″ ]

By Gizelle Arriola of Dearest Mommy

Today I am babysitting a five-month-old Pit Bull puppy that belongs to our oldest son. He’s definitely a cutie. He is also a bit hyper and downright unruly at times.

I am really not much of a puppy person as it is. First of all, they’re not potty trained which means I need to keep a close eye and nose out for any signs of what I like to call “puppy love.”

Then there is the whole teething thing. I love ALL of my shoes! I prefer to wear them without teeth marks and still in one piece.

Finally, there’s the fact that having two small children exactly school age apart means I have literally spent eight years straight taking care of a small child. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week.

So that’s probably the reason why I am hesitant about bringing a baby anything into our household for more than a quick visit.

After I agreed to watch him and the boy left me with this little hellion—who is right now chewing one of my daughter’s toys—I started thinking about all the things we do out of love for our kids. Here are my top five:

1. Pets. Obviously I’m going to throw pets on here because, let’s face it, who really ends up training, feeding, and footing the vet bill at the end of the day? (Or at the very least babysitting them for your oldest who’s home from college for the week.) You guessed it: the parents.

2. Toys. I bet you didn’t think this one would make the list, huh? Well I’m here to tell you that it does. Here’s why: It is not mandatory for your house to look like a used toy store just because you have kids.

It takes a special kind of parent to allow their house to be overrun by Lego’s and Polly Pockets as well as those huge toys that take up half the living room like kitchens and play vanities or Barbie dream houses. (I have at least two of each in my house for both of my girls.)

3. Extracurricular activities. Sports, dance, or any other event that takes up quite a bit of time and/or costs an arm and a leg. I’m sure there are a ton of parents who love to go to those events. I’m just not one of them.

Recently I went to my daughter’s first talent show. She was literally the LAST act to go on. I had to sit through 28 other acts before we got to her three and half minute song—which I worked on with her for two weeks!—only for it to be cut off unexpectedly after only two minutes. Apparently they ran out of time. Go figure.

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4. Friends. You may or may not end up being the local hang out spot for your kids and their friends. Our house was where my son’s band practiced throughout high school. Many of those kids still come around on occasion and I’m so glad we had the chance to get to know those extremely talented young men.

Then again, when you have a small baby who kept you up all night and you’re just trying to get them down for a nap, it doesn’t matter how much you love ACDC’s “T.N.T”—it is not what you want to hear in place of utter silence.

5. Birthday Parties. Of course I saved the best for last! First of all, you will probably end up with somewhere close to fifty people (most of whom you have probably never met since your child invited the entire class) walking around, spilling their cup of juice or soda all over your house.

Plus, there’s always that one person who’s sick, coughing all over everyone, making you wonder why the hell they didn’t just do us all a favor and stay in bed. Instead you have them in your face, breathing on you while asking where the restroom is.

Now it’s a party.

Then there are always those last few stragglers who hold up the whole damn thing until you’re ready to just cut the fucking cake and be done with it.

Screw you stragglers! 2 p.m. means 2 p.m.!

Finally it’s present time. When it’s all said and done, after first cleaning up all the wrapping paper, you realize only a third of the stuff they got (if you’re lucky) they will actually use. The rest of it will merely add to the clutter in and around your already chaotic house just waiting for your annual yard sale to be bought by another, more grateful, child who’s looking for a deal. Who doesn’t love birthday parties?

The parents who throw them—that’s who.

So that’s the top five on my list. I’m sure all of you have your own list of five or more things you do for your kids because, hey, they’re your kids.

No matter what, we love our children unconditionally and want the world for them… even if that means baking in the hot sun for hours watching them play sports, or sitting through several renditions of Frozen’s “Let It Go” just to hear only half of your own child’s rendition of the same song.

The truth is the pros far outweigh the cons. The excited look they give you when you tell them they can KEEP the puppy, or when they see you in the stands at their talent show or baseball game makes it all seem easier somehow.

In the end, being a parent is one of the hardest jobs there is, but it’s definitely one that’s worth it.

We do it all out of love.

This post was originally published on Dearest Mommy.

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About Gizelle Arriola

Gizelle Arriola is a mother of a wonderfully chaotic blended family with two wildly funny and equally crazy little girls who always keep her on her toes and her extremely talented stepson who is on a scholarship for music at S.F.S.U. She enjoys reading, poker and long walks on the beach as well as blogging about her life and the joys of motherhood (not necessarily in that order), and whenever possible, she takes her handsome and at-times impossible husband along for the ride. Look for her on her Facebook page, Dearest Mommy and on her blog. 

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