Things you've noticed as a parent?

Question

what are some things you've noticed as a parent that you never really thought about before? like I never realized just how expensive baby stuff is, and I never realized how FEW places have changing stations in their restrooms!

Answer 1

How much advertising for kids stuff there is.. its EVERYWHERE!!   junk food.... health food for kids.... toys...  its like the advertising world has stopped directing adverts at adults unless its heamorroid creams or sanitaryware!!!

Answer 2

I never noticed how hard it is to find healthy toddler food on-the-go such as in fast-food restaurants.  Most places have too large of portion sizes and not enough fresh fruit or lean meats.

I never knew that I would worry/obsess so much about someone.  Also, how much more it hurts you when your child is in pain.

I hate car seats and the constant buckling & unbuckling every time we get in and out of the car.

It takes forever to get ready to leave the house.  Showers have been drastically reduced to only five minutes and I even changed my hairstyle to require less maintenance!

Answer 3

I realized how many bad things there are out there. Almost everything out there (T.V., radio, advertisement, etc) has things I wouldn't want my precious little boy watching, hearing, seeing, or learning! It's going to be important to make sure I raise my son strong so he'll keep away from all the drugs, gangs, and violence there is out there..

Answer 4

I never realized how many stores lack a bathroom until i had a pottytraining son.  I never realized how few places have a place for nursing moms.  Never noticed how expensive maternity clothes is or how expensive it is to dress a child one they get out of toddler sizes.

Answer 5

no more s*x

Answer 6

get into a sharing rotation with family and friends for baby stuff like my city has a city wide one that they keep track of how many things you borrow of each type and you return the same amount or more and get credits for the next stage of clothes it is great for families on a budget

Answer 7

One of the major things I've noticed as a parent is that you better enjoy every minute with your children because one day you blink and their grown and gone...Treat each day as a valuable gift...make memories precious...and don't take a day for granted...Life is short and your time with your kids are even shorter...I am so glad I chose to be a stay at home mom so that I could invest in my children's lives and now I'm reaping the benefits of having spent valuable time with my kids while they were young and at home...FYI   HH

Answer 8

I noticed how protective I can be, I never thought I would be so maternal.

Answer 9

the fact that there isn't family bathrooms where I live and  my boys felt emabarrassed to go to the ladies room but I was too uncomfortable for them to go to the men's room alone at a young age so they would pee by the car which they enjoyed, lol

People don't hold a door for you when You are trying to get the baby carriage thru it!!

People trying to touch your baby, watch out cause momma bear was ruthless if someone came near my baby!

Answer 10

I've noticed that as my sons are 18 and 13 i cannot stand misbehaviour in younger children and dont understand their parents who ignore it.

Answer 11

I agree with the few changing stations in restrooms. I have had to change my daughter in the car on numerous occasions.

I just really notice *children* more than I did before I was a parent. Before, I guess I kind of looked right past them. Now, I notice what they are wearing, what they are eating, how the parent is treating them.

And of course, I notice baby commercials so much more...LOL