by Kristen Paulsen

Created on: February 06, 2010

There is no handbook or Dummies Manual for parenting.  You will find a plethora of articles and books catering to the subjects of parenting.  However, what no article or book can capture is how this little infant placed in your arms can change your life, goals, priorities and relationship.  When you hold your child for the first time, all you will feel is this immediate connection and overwhelming sense of love and protectiveness.  It is at this moment that you realize that you have to re-evaluate your own priorities.  Once concerned only about yourself and spouse, now the weight of the world is on your shoulders...another human being that you are responsible for taking care of and teaching.

Parenting involves much more than providing nourishment, shelter and love.  It involves selfless service to another life being.  It means not being able to shower when you'd like.  It means eating the scraps of meals left on the plates as you hurriedly clean before the baby starts crying.  It means sacrificing sleep and putting personal goals on indefinite hold.  Parenting means doing things you may not like.  It may mean being uncomfortable in situations that are unfamiliar.  It may mean making a new circle of friends...those with children.

Parenthood is a 24/7 job.  It will be even greater if you are working outside the home.  Becoming a parent should give honorary degrees in nursing, nutritionists, house cleaner, accountant, home decorator, personal shopper, nanny, chef, and so many more titles.  It doesn't pay much in the way of money, but it can be the most rewarding job you will ever have, if you allow it and re-prioritize.  A child's love is pure and innocent and always forgiving.  A child's hug or smile can be worth more on a bad day than any bonus.

How do you change your priorities in parenthood?  You change a life of making priorities related to careers to making it a priority to take a shower ever other day.  Perhaps it's making it a priority to leave the house once a week.  In essence, you realize that your priorities now revolve around your child.  Their safety, their learning, their future relies on how much you decide to place value in it.  You don't have to "lose" yourself in this re-prioritization process.  Merely understand that some of your personal goals and aspirations may be put on hold for a few years while you are busy giving this precious bundle of joy the best start in life. 

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