In the months leading up to the birth of Lola, Penn was really nervous about becoming a Dad. We didn’t have practice with other kids. We never even had a dog. So we decided to get a fish, as if that would somehow help us prepare to become parents. Needless to say, that fish died within 2 weeks. (What a way to start our parenting journey.)
When you become a parent, there are things you think will be hard or gross (like dirty diapers) that turn out to be not so bad at all. Then there are things – especially as the kids get older – that are very hard. Things you never even thought of before. For example, one of the hardest aspects of parenting for me is watching my kids make decisions that I wouldn’t make. There’s a lot to untangle there, but that’s definitely a reality I wasn’t thinking about back in those early days of having an infant.
Bag Of Seeds
On today’s podcast, we called our friend, pediatrician and parenting coach, Dr. Hope Seidel, to talk about the expectations vs reality of raising kids. Dr. Seidel said that one of the biggest things she has learned is that a child’s wellness depends on the wellness of their parents.
Let that sink in, parents. Your wellness MATTERS.
She reminded us not to put pressure on ourselves to be perfect and provided tips on when you should ask for help. What I loved the most, was the beautiful picture Dr. Seidel painted of children as little bags of seeds. As parents, it’s our job to water them and help them grow. We don’t always know what the seed will be, but our job is to nurture it into the wonderful plant it was made to be.
Listen for more advice from Dr. Seidel, and the surprising answer to which role Penn would love to play in Hamilton.
