Dear Little One,
From the moment you turned three, your days have been filled with endless questions: “Why?” and “How?” Even when you’re quiet, I can sense those questions lingering in the air as you try to make sense of the world around you. Whenever you notice a frown on my face, when I ask for a moment of peace, or when I repeat myself for the umpteenth time, I know you’re searching for an explanation.
But here’s the truth: there are some things you simply won’t grasp until you become a parent yourself. I can share bits and pieces, but the full picture will remain elusive until you experience it firsthand. One day, when you have your own little ones, everything will click.
One day, you’ll understand why I say that the moment you entered the world was the best of my life.
One day, you’ll realize how sleep deprivation can make you feel like you’re on the edge of losing your mind.
One day, you’ll come to understand why I shed tears the first time you took your first steps.
One day, you’ll get why I hugged you tightly, then scolded you, and then held you close again when you wandered off at the zoo.
One day, you’ll comprehend why I’m always peeking over your shoulder when you’re on screens and why I insist on knowing what you’re watching on YouTube.
One day, you’ll learn why I avoid the news.
One day, you’ll understand why I insist you stop when someone asks, even if they’re laughing.
One day, you’ll see why I can’t endure another game of Candy Land. Seriously, I can’t.
One day, you’ll appreciate why I need to do errands like a trip to Target alone.
One day, you’ll understand why I’m not my usual cheerful self when you wake me up in the middle of the night, or why I doze off during kid movies.
One day, you’ll realize why I snap when you make random noises in the car.
One day, you’ll come to understand how your bickering with your siblings weighs heavily on my heart and frays my nerves.
One day, you’ll learn why I assign chores.
One day, you’ll see why I stopped cooking.
One day, you’ll understand the struggle your father and I faced about letting you quit music lessons, and why we were relieved when you chose to pick them up again.
One day, you’ll realize why your father and I sometimes lock our bedroom door and take a while to respond when you knock.
One day, you’ll understand why we said “no” to that super short skirt.
One day, you’ll feel the weight of responsibility for another human being and the overwhelming uncertainty that comes with it.
One day, you’ll know the terror of being madly in love.
One day, you’ll understand the exhausting balance between holding on and letting go.
One day, you’ll feel how a heart can be so full that it feels like it might burst.
One day, you’ll find yourself wishing time would slow down after wanting it to speed up just moments earlier.
One day, you’ll grasp the emotional whirlwind of trying to be a complete person while raising others.
One day, you’ll understand the love, worry, frustration, pride, confusion, and wonder that accompany parenthood.
You will understand—all in good time. For now, keep those questions coming, and I’ll do my best to answer. But trust me, many of them won’t make sense until you’ve walked the challenging yet rewarding path of parenthood.
If you’re curious about other aspects of parenting, check out our post on intracervical insemination. And for a deeper dive into the journey, visit Make a Mom—they provide valuable insights. For more information on pregnancy and home insemination, News Medical is a fantastic resource.
In summary, one day you’ll come to understand all the complexities and joys of parenthood. Until then, I’ll be here, navigating this journey alongside you.