There is something my dad always says… actually, he says a lot of things but my favorite is, “don’t forget to have fun!”
This was always one of his quirky things to me. It wasn’t until I had kids that I truly understood what an important reminder it is.
Being a parent is work. Really hard work. 24/7 we are on the clock. Even when our kids get older and need less of us physically, mentally it is straining. We are on, on, on.
After our second daughter was born, my sister came to visit. The day I dropped her off at the airport, we hugged goodbye and as she walked away, she looked over her shoulder and shouted, “Don’t forget to have fun!” My dear friends and readers, I got in the car and I wept. Absolutely wept. Nothing about life had been fun. Pregnancy wasn’t fun. Having a toddler wasn’t fun. Giving birth wasn’t fun. And having a 2.5-year-old and a newborn wasn’t fun. But, worse yet, I wasn’t even trying to find the fun.
As parents, we go into survival mode. We just have to get through any given period. But the truth is, parenting should have some fun in it. So, take time. Enjoy the moments when you can. And always remember, “Don’t forget to have fun!”
