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Do you remember that feeling you had when you found out you were going to be a parent for the first time ahhhh such excitement, such happiness, such joy such ......spending.....
i was sparked to think about today about all the silly things we filled the nursery with when we were expecting our first. Almost like we were not prepared unless we had a bottle warmer, diaper genie and baby Einstein videos.
and for the moms and dads reading this that went on to have more than one child we all know how very little you really need to prepare for baby's arrival.
my own nursery for my first had, enough clothes for ten babies., 12 towels for example, i washed clothes so often i only ever used two of the towels that kept getting put back on top. it had bouncy chairs , swings, jolly jumpers, 12 bottles of shampoo, bottle warmer machine, bottle sterilizer for the microwave, and so on and so on.
what i really needed was some diapers, a tub, food, crib and blankets plus a bit of clothes.
So where do all these messages come from that we need this and that. ? it isn't from our parents, they never had half of these items either. Is it from our friends that have a year of baby bliss down. probably not, because i they were anything like us after our first year being parents, We looked around the nursery with such regret for everything we bought that was unused. And we passed this along to any new parents to be. Buy as you need it. you do not have to have a nursery like a picture out of a magazine in order to tell yourself you are ready for parenthood. That comes from within not from making sure you have a Noah's ark comforter set with a matching lamp, curtains, diaper bag. Not saying that is wrong just not necessary.
so that leaves the various forms of media, print radio and TV. they are showing us all these wonderful ways to be good parents to our babies. or at least it is showing us how at a very young age to be trying to buy our kids happiness with fancy toys, pricey learning videos, and name brands upon their chests. I fell into this thinking with my first but i could not be brainwashed with the following two, i decided that i would try to be the best parent i can be , by playing with them instead o expecting them to be happy with new toys, and I (how novel) would be the one to teach my child it's alphabet. ! insert gasp!
I think we, as a society, need to get back to basics forget the doodads and start be the DO--dads and moms
i was sparked to think about today about all the silly things we filled the nursery with when we were expecting our first. Almost like we were not prepared unless we had a bottle warmer, diaper genie and baby Einstein videos.
and for the moms and dads reading this that went on to have more than one child we all know how very little you really need to prepare for baby's arrival.
my own nursery for my first had, enough clothes for ten babies., 12 towels for example, i washed clothes so often i only ever used two of the towels that kept getting put back on top. it had bouncy chairs , swings, jolly jumpers, 12 bottles of shampoo, bottle warmer machine, bottle sterilizer for the microwave, and so on and so on.
what i really needed was some diapers, a tub, food, crib and blankets plus a bit of clothes.
So where do all these messages come from that we need this and that. ? it isn't from our parents, they never had half of these items either. Is it from our friends that have a year of baby bliss down. probably not, because i they were anything like us after our first year being parents, We looked around the nursery with such regret for everything we bought that was unused. And we passed this along to any new parents to be. Buy as you need it. you do not have to have a nursery like a picture out of a magazine in order to tell yourself you are ready for parenthood. That comes from within not from making sure you have a Noah's ark comforter set with a matching lamp, curtains, diaper bag. Not saying that is wrong just not necessary.
so that leaves the various forms of media, print radio and TV. they are showing us all these wonderful ways to be good parents to our babies. or at least it is showing us how at a very young age to be trying to buy our kids happiness with fancy toys, pricey learning videos, and name brands upon their chests. I fell into this thinking with my first but i could not be brainwashed with the following two, i decided that i would try to be the best parent i can be , by playing with them instead o expecting them to be happy with new toys, and I (how novel) would be the one to teach my child it's alphabet. ! insert gasp!
I think we, as a society, need to get back to basics forget the doodads and start be the DO--dads and moms
6 comments:
We didn't have a "nursery" for either kids. When C was born we were living in a 1 bdrm apt - he slept in a bassinett beside our bed for 2 months until we moved into a 3 bdrm townhouse. Even when we put him in his own room we didn't really decorate. And most of the stuff we got second hand or borrowed. Of course we did buy a highchair and a cradle swing (best invention in the world). When Q came along he slept in the bassinett in our room until we moved him into the crib in C's room. See we have 3 bdrms but one is downstairs so it's the play/junk room.
My best friend is having her 2nd baby soon. I went shopping with her to try and find fabric to make curtains to match compliment the comforter which will determine the colours of the walls. It will be lovely when it's done just like her son's room. That's not me but I certainly don't begrudge people who want that.
do i sound as if i am begrudging. i am not nor am I judging. I was listening to someone go on and on about what there child 'needs' when it is born. and I thought to myself the baby needs you to be relaxed and calm and loving. and that is all it needs.
that is what i wanted my post to represent.
I wasn't saying that you were. Please don't think that! Your post was very good and very clear. I was just stating my opinion in relation to my friend. And maybe if I had a home were my kids could have there own rooms and money to do what they are, I might be more inclined to. You are right we (people as a whole) put too much value on stuff and what it can do for us. I'm trying to become less of a consumer, but it's hard.
I didn't mean to imply you were judging at all. I'm sorry if I came off that way.
im glad) i was afraid that that was the way i was putting it out there. no harm no foul. there is a fpc hidden try and find one. haha
I LOVE THIS POST!
I am a SAHM to 4. To prepare for their births I had Some clothes, some diapers, some wash cloths , some towels, a bar of baby soap, a few blankets, a sling and a car seat.
its our lives these days of excess isn't it!?
I did buy too much for my kids, but a LOT more for my first. I also got over the, has to be Hugies diapers when I had my twins! When they went on formula it was Presidents Choice (and they survived!) and it was Walmart and PC diapers.
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