It’s time for Bloganuary again! Last January, I took part in this WordPress challenge, where I wrote a blog post every day that answered a prompt provided by WordPress. It’s a fun challenge, and all of you enjoyed last year’s posts, so let’s do it again! Today’s prompt is: “What are your biggest challenges.”
What Are Your Biggest Challenges?
My son, who is now almost 16 months old, is my biggest challenge. I mean that in the best way possible. He’s a delight to be around: always positive, loving, clever, and adorable. He is legitimately the cutest baby I’ve ever seen, and it’s a joy to watch him grow and evolve. My wife and I see ourselves in him, and we see his unique personality shine through all the time.
While there is a lot of joy in being a parent, it also means keeping him safe all the time, especially from himself. Toddlers love to put everything in their mouths, regardless of whether or not those items are food. Shoes, Christmas lights, styrofoam, another child’s hand — all in the mouth. We’re constantly policing what he grabs, sanitizing surfaces and objects, washing Oliver’s hands, and keeping him healthy.
Did I mention that our son is nearly 30 pounds? Yes, that’s right! He’s a big boy who loves to crawl everywhere on all fours or with the assistance of his walker or any nearby object. Any box will do. He’s on the precipice of walking, but he doesn’t quite have the confidence yet to do it on his own. Between us and his teachers at school, I’m sure Oliver will be walking in no time. So, imagine the new challenges of chasing around a 30-pound bundle of energy that can walk?! Crazy times, for sure. A wonderful life, indeed.
Parenting a high-energy, bright, rapidly growing toddler presents emotional, physical, and financial challenges.
Emotionally, it requires patience with your child, yourself, and your partner. I’m not great at this, but I’m getting better.
Physically, it requires staying in good health and being mindful of how you pick up your child so you don’t injure yourself or them. I learned this lesson the hard way by pulling a muscle in my back in the fall, which means more DDP Yoga and always using my legs to pick Oliver up.
Financially, being a parent requires thinking more strategically about present and future expenses. We’ve gotten better about this over time, but there’s always room for improvement.
My biggest challenges this year are one hundred percent related to being a parent. I’ve learned that it’s the most challenging job there is but also the most rewarding.
How about you? What are your biggest challenges? And what have you learned from them? There is also something to be learned.