by Anne Arsenault

Created on: August 26, 2007   Last Updated: August 30, 2007

There are things you don't think about when you become a parent: sleeping all night, time to yourself, birthday parties and daycare, are just a few of these things. Parenthood really is a walk into the unknown. No more do you think only about yourself, there is a little person that depends on you night and day. So when you've never parented before, how do you know what you're doing and if what you're doing are right? You can prepare yourself by reading books, taking courses and watching other people's kids, but until you're in that moment with your own child, you've never really experienced parenting.

Your life now revolves around this little person and sometimes it seems this person controls your life. For 24 hours a day you are in charge, even in the middle of the night when you are so tired you can barely open your eyes, you must take charge of the situation. From feedings, to nightmares, to fevers and little accidents, it all depends on you. A parent must be able to deal with any situation at any given time and even when you have no time. Children do not understand about please hurry we're running late! Your time is now spent on picking up toys, making constant meals and snacks, answering endless questions of "why" and repeating yourself while hoping they will hear you this time. It is amazing how the same seemingly deaf child can suddenly hear you when you talk about gummy bears or ice cream! Sleeping when you want to for as long as you want to becomes a thing of the past. Time to yourself after a long hard day at work is also something of the past, although there is a time for children's videos. They are also good for keeping your child out of the kitchen while preparing dinner! You learn to appreciate the small spaces of time you do have after they finally go to sleep; the cherished time to yourself.
Birthday Parties are something a parent doesn't think about until your child starts having one every year and then being invited to numerous ones through out the year. The first couple years you invite your family, but then they begin to get friends and the thought arises do I really want all those kids in my house at one time? Once it's decided you don't want all these kids in your house, or your place is just not big enough the questions come like: where shall we have the party and how much should we spend? You also realize that as your child makes friends you also have to keep buying birthday gifts for the numerous parties they get invited to. In the

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