There are many people who believe that raising and educating children is a thing of simply common sense. Well, I do not say that they are not right, but hey, it is that the common sense of a father is not the same when he has his first baby than when he has the third, as in my case, or when 10 years have passed since his First paternity
What at that time seemed completely logical to me now seems quite ridiculous, and among all the things I remember that I have done as a father there are seven that make me think "my mother, how bad": the seven things I can't believe I've done as a father.
1. To believe me that it was normal to let babies cry
I believed it for a short time, but I was about to definitely believe it. One thing I appreciate from the hospital where my first child was born is that the rooms be shared. Next to us was another bed with a recent mom and her baby, and when mine cried we caught it right away so it wouldn't bother. That's how we learned to calm him down, that's how I spent a lot of time with him in his arms and that's how I became a caretaker, a carrier (in my arms) of my son.
And I felt it as normal and natural until one day a woman came home and told us that "this child you have too much time in your arms", with the face of "it tastes bad, but this is the worst thing you can do" . Then I hesitated, and thought that maybe I should start letting him cry a little, to avoid getting used to his arms, not to attend to him when he called us. Luckily it lasted a little, but now I think about it and I say to myself: "How much damage can a comment from someone who does not know by giving advice that nobody has asked for".
2. That you buy all possible accessories
We planted ourselves in a childcare store and said "Hi, let's be parents." And the girl saw us so green that she left us with two candles. I almost have to ask for a loan to pay for everything we took that day, and now that I remember it, I feel like a real panoli, putting in the house so many strange devices and unnecessary pots that we barely use. Everything was "just in case" and in the end almost everything was left over. Come on, that with the second and third we were clear that we didn't need any of that.
3. To make porridge in the BabyCook
The BabyCook is a kitchen robot to make baby porridge, whose glass is so small that what you do is useful for one day, at most two. We bought it because they told us it was the most recommended for feeding the baby and convinced of it we used it a few days.
But let's see, how did babies eat before this invention? Because we weren't able to respond, as if this had always existed ... we soon saw that it was a waste of time and energy and we chose to take the usual kitchen pots, boil, shred and store for other days in the fridge or freezer. The time we save like this.
4. To insist that he take the pacifier
What big heads we were. It will be that we were so accustomed to babies wearing a pacifier that it seemed totally illogical that he did not wear it. I did not want it. I spit it out. So we tried different sizes, different materials, everything to make ours one more baby.
"Do not take it, then give this to see. This one either? Wait, we bought one that is all latex. Does the latex not go? I think there are also silicone, give you two sizes, not be size thing. " And so, one after another, to see how the child spit on them. No, in the end he didn't take it, and with the medium and the little one we didn't even try, of course. None of the three have used a pacifier.
5. That I was about to take you to kindergarten
And look that she did not work, as I explained, but it was so many people who insisted that it was not normal for a 2-year-old child to be at home, or recommended, that we came to visit two nurseries to teach us the facilities will tell us about prices, methodology, etc.
And it was then, seeing the other children without their parents, and ours with the possibility of having them, when we saw that it was not necessary, that I would not contribute anything that I could not receive later. Play with other children? It's what we wanted, it's what they told us, but they have a lifetime to socialize, a lifetime to play with other children ... it didn't come from one or two years.
6. That every weekend we look for plays and musicals to stimulate
Now I don't know if it's so in vogue, but when Jon was born, Baby Einstein's videos and books were considered the most. They said that with that the children's brain grew and became more intelligent, and in the terrible race to make your child what you are not and provide him with the opportunity to succeed in life, people sought those stimuli for the purposes of week. And we, too.
We would plays, musicals and children's concerts to listen to music, see the stories and thus be stimulated. And beware, some of them were amazing and we loved them, but others were real bodrios and we kept going because we thought it was something positive. With the second and third we don't go anymore. Partly because the ones we would most like to see involve a considerable expense, partly because we no longer see the need to stimulate anything ... today it seems that what parents would have to look for is the opposite, the stimulus poverty provoked for them to exercise their creativity a little.
7. That we had a potty that made music
After two years, due to family and social pressure, we tried to remove the diaper from the child because "it is his turn". And we saw a normal potty that proved to be ineffective. Looking for a solution, we got one that was like a car, but that made music when the child peed or pooped, as reinforcement to the achievement. We no longer have it, and thankfully, because I would be ashamed to see him again and remember that one day we thought that this would be a solution to a problem that was not such.
Luckily, the nonsense was short-lived, we put the diaper back on the boy and a year later we tried again, because he was already in school, getting control it in just two days. With the second and third there was no hurry. In fact, with the third party I don't remember doing anything concrete to leave the diaper. He left it when he wanted to.
Do you also have 7 things that you cannot believe you have done?
That I have put seven, but surely if I stop for a while to think I get many more, but if you want to share yours do not hesitate to do so. Sometimes knowing what we did and would rather not have done can be useful for parents who have not yet had to make these decisions.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Two things parents of happy children do, The 11 things you should keep in mind to be good parents, The 11 things first-time parents learn in the first few days
