When you become a parent, life as you know it can shift in a variety of ways. Suddenly the way that you once saw the world changes, and you may find yourself grasping to keep up with all the transformations in your life.
From your level of responsibility shifting, to the amount of work on your shoulders, it can be a lot to process. It helps to anticipate some of the changes before they happen so that you can deal with them best.
Here are some of the most common things you will notice change once you become a parent.
Your Relationship With Your Parents Evolves
One of the strangest things about getting older and becoming a parent is that you start to realize that adulthood is an illusion. Even though your parents may be physically old and perhaps even in need of professional care, you begin to realize that you never stop growing up.
It’s so easy to judge your parents when you’re young and don’t have children of your own. However, once you start to realize what it’s like to raise kids, you realize they were often only doing their best.
Your Friend Circle Gets Smaller
When you’re baby-free and have fewer things to worry about, it’s easy to spend time with your friends. However, once you become a parent, it may not be as easy to get together as much as you did before.
Your real friends will start to reveal themselves when you have kids. It takes extra effort to make time for each other. You may not be able to make it out to many events outside of the home, so friends will have to stop by your house if they hope to see you.
You Are Exhausted
It’s important to know this now: You are going to be tired for the next 18 years of your life, and that’s just the way it is. Kids are exhausting and aren’t crazy about sleep the same way as adults are.
Accepting that fatigue will be a part of your life for a decade or so is the best way to handle it. Resistance is futile.
Laundry Is Never Ending
Kids are always spilling things all over their clothing. You can expect to be doing at least five loads of laundry a week if you hope to keep up with it all. Letting it pile up only makes matters worse. It’s time to invest in a bigger washing machine.
You’re Always In Your Car
As your children get older, they’ll rely on you to take them to things like music lessons, sports, or friends houses for slumber parties. Before long, you may start to feel like an unpaid Uber driver. In addition, to taking them wherever they need to go, you also have to drive yourself places like work, the grocery store, and wherever else that you have errands to run.
