When I was a new mom juggling a baby, I often listened to parents with older kids share their experiences. I would vent about the chaos of sleepless nights, and they’d respond with, “Just wait! It only gets tougher!” I’d think, how difficult could it be to manage a big kid who can take care of themselves? Turns out, it’s pretty challenging.
Here are a few ways in which your middle-schooler is eerily similar to a newborn:
1. Constant Supervision Required Again
As parents of infants, we spend our days on high alert, ensuring our tiny ones don’t get into mischief—like sticking their fingers in outlets or tumbling down stairs. Those days of intense vigilance seem to fade, but just when you start to breathe a sigh of relief, middle school hits, and you find yourself hyper-aware once more. Now, instead of worrying about physical dangers, you’re keeping tabs on their online activities, homework, and even their personal hygiene. They might not be trying to stick a fork in an electrical socket, but their screen time can lead to just as much trouble.
2. Early Mornings Are Back
Remember the early days when your baby woke you at the crack of dawn? Those days, while exhausting, seemed to have a silver lining: you could eventually put them to bed early and reclaim your evenings. Fast forward a few years, and just when you thought you could enjoy your mornings again, you’re setting alarms for 6:30 a.m. as your middle-schooler needs to be out the door by 7:30. It feels like the cycle of sleep deprivation is never-ending, and you start to wonder if you’ll ever catch up on rest.
3. Food Costs Skyrocket
In the early days, feeding a baby involved budgeting for formula, which was a manageable expense. Now, my middle-schooler has developed an appetite that could rival a small army. The days of carefully curated meals filled with fruits and veggies have been replaced by requests for burgers and pizza. It’s as if they’ve forgotten all those healthy eating habits we worked so hard to instill. Now, I find myself surrendering to the convenience of chicken nuggets and fries just to keep them satisfied.
4. Homework Overload
In elementary school, homework was a breeze—15 minutes at most. Now, it feels like an endless stream of assignments. Just last week, my son asked for help with his math homework. I did my best, but my attempts were quickly overturned by my partner, who has more math savvy. Unfortunately, the result was an F, which led to an epic family debate over who was to blame. It’s only the beginning of middle school, and we’re already in a state of chaos.
As I reflect on these parallels, I can’t quite determine which phase is more exhausting—infants or middle-schoolers. What I do know is that parenting remains a challenging journey filled with confusion, stress, and financial strain. For those of you currently navigating the baby stage, brace yourselves; the tunnel may seem long, but it doesn’t really end until they leave home.
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Summary
Parenting a middle-schooler can feel strikingly similar to caring for a newborn. From the need for constant vigilance to the early morning wake-up calls and skyrocketing food bills, the challenges seem to multiply. As parents navigate the complexities of homework and the evolving needs of their children, they may find themselves longing for the days of infancy, only to realize that parenting is a continuous journey filled with surprises.