Loving Without Regret -- by Cara

I read Robin’s article about happiness on Friday. She truly loves her son, and it most certainly comes across in her blogs. I know she has exasperating days; we all do as parents. But Robin doesn’t give up. She lives in the moment and tries to find a silver lining in even the most trying of situations with her child.

I aspire to be more like Robin with my son. He’s tough. He can easily give you a run for your money and you usually have to be two thought processes ahead because he’ll stop you in your tracks, speechless, with some of the things he says. He is not rude or obnoxious in any way. He’ll just catch you off guard when you least expect it. For example, if I ask him to clean up his toys and he doesn’t want to, I will give him a consequence to ponder. I will inform him that if he will not pick up the toys, I will give them away to other children who need toys. His comeback, “Okay. You can take that game over there. I don’t play with that anymore either.” See what I mean? He’s tough and he’s smart.

I sometimes run through a lot of days like this with him. Sometimes a whole week of moody, irritable behavior. And I admit, I say to myself, is it really worth it having a child? Yes, I marvel at how adept he is at putting together a complex Lego set. Or melt when I see how gentle and empathetic he is with all types of animals. But those trying days, especially several in a row, do make me question my decision to have had a child.

I decided to blog on this topic because another Mom, on a different website, posed the same question: “If you had a second chance, knowing what you know now, would you still have children?” I must say, that’s a bold and gutsy question to ask a group of other Moms! But this group of Moms can take questions such as this and not be overly judgmental about them.

The answers were shockingly honest, but the consensus was that although this group of Moms want to sell their own children sometimes (this IS a bold and gutsy group!), they do not regret being parents at all!

So I asked myself the same question: If I were able to do it over, knowing what I know now, would I still have wanted to conceive? And the answer is without a doubt, YES! I would hate to get to age 80, childless, and be left with “what if” floating over my head. I want the experience of being a parent. And it is an experience that changes and matures you like no other experience ever could or will.

Yes, I wish my son were not so antagonistic or whiny or moody. But he is who he is. And I accept that. He is still young at 6, and is just at the point in his life where he is testing limits and boundaries and new dance moves! He is learning what acceptable versus unacceptable language is, no matter where he hears it from. He is learning tolerance and at least a little more patience. He is bursting with newness every single moment!

So as a 40+ Mom, do I get tired? Yes. Exasperated? Yes. Even too worn out to properly discipline? Unfortunately yes to that too, sometimes. But do I regret being a Mom and watching my son grow and evolve? Not a single chance! A little extra sleep and a few extra cuddles definitely helps makes it ALL worthwhile!

Cool Toys -- by Robin

I don't typically blog about toys, but I wanted to share two really cool experiences Seth has had.

We were offered the opportunity to test out both Zhu Zhu Pets and the Fisher-Price TRIO Building System, and Seth had a ball with each, as did his friends.

Since Seth is such a vehicle-driven kid, I embraced the idea of his playing with something other than a fire truck or ambulance.

To check out Zhu Zhu pets, visit http://www.zhuzhupets.com/ (see photo above). Zhu Zhu Pets™ are fun, interactive hamsters that talk, move and even navigate their way around their own habitats.

Each hamster in a family of four has its own name and a unique personality. Chunk, Pipsqueak, Squiggles and NumNums will delight children of all ages with their cute squeaks, squeals and zany moves. You can watch the action as these adorable hamsters play, explore, run and slide. Chunk catches a wave on his own surfboard while Pipsqueak takes the car out for a spin and Squiggles races down a slide. A dozen add-on sets let your child create and explore a new Zhu Zhu Pets™ world every time they play!

Imagine a pet you don't have to clean up after. You can buy everything from toy cars to a ball for them to race around in.

Seth even took his hamster to our pool club to show him around.

To check out TRIO, visit http://www.triobuilding.com/ If you have a child like Seth who loves building, TRIO is up their alley. Available for different age ranges, it's a portable buiding set that comes with bricks, sticks and panels, and instruction booklet that kids can easily follow themselves to buid a wide array of structures.

The Fisher-Price TRIO™ Building System is a must-have for kids who love to stack, build and create their own masterpieces! The easy-click bricks, sticks, and panels make building a "snap" for kids and moms will appreciate the storage bin that doubles as a building base.

Visit http://www.fisher-price.com/us/trio/ and you can save $5 off any TRIO set. The offer expires 10/1.

Note: Post a comment re: this blog post by 9/20, and be entered to win a TRIO Building System for your child. Winner to be chosen at random and notified via email. Please provide your email in your comment.

Pushing Buttons

I didn't plan to blog on this subject, but I need to vent at the moment.

It is never a dull moment as a parent....both good 'n bad.

This morning, Seth went out with Marc to do errands, and they returned while I was taking a shower. Next thing I know, Seth is on the floor of my bathroom playing with the sliding bathroom door, and managed to pull it partially off the hinges. I know he's just four years old, but it gets frustrating living with a person, despite their young age, who has no regard for things in their home.

I know he didn't intentionally plan to break it, but the damage is done. And, Marc is as far from a handy man as you can get. So, what now? And, how much will this cost to fix?

I realize in the scheme of things, this incident is not a biggie, but it all adds up. Seth would surely not like it if I were to break his toys (not that I'd do that). Yet, this is not the first thing he's wrecked in the house.

I think part of it is that I spend so much time at home since I work from here, that I like the house to have some sense of order. And, with a young child, all my "control" buttons get pushed re: my expectations of a home life/environment. Our living room is now his playspace. Our guest room became Seth's bedroom. Believe me, I am grateful to have him in our lives. I just wish I didn't feel like damage control has become one of my regular tasks.