The 5 harsh reality checks of parenthood

There’s nothing like a full on fat reality check to slap us in the face in this word, and no greater do those reality checks comes than in parenthood. Whatever you are thinking before you become a parent, you can bet your bottom dollar you are in for some harsh truths once you become a parent. Sorry…don’t shoot the messenger!

Harsh reality check 1

You think parenthood is going to be a beautifully smooth fruit puree….

instead it’s more like a lumpy bowl of stew with a bunch of unknown ingredients inside which can often taste like this…

Harsh reality check 2

You think parenthood is going to be like running through a meadow of flowers, deliriously happy…

instead it’s really more like running through the line of fire…

Harsh reality check 3

You think you won’t ever want to spend a minute away from your baby….

when in fact you are mostly found watching your clock counting down the hours to bedtime and wine o’clock…

Harsh reality check 4

You think you’ve got this motherhood thing covered….

come on now, who are you kidding? You know it looks a lot more like this…

Harsh reality check 5

You think you want a massive brood of kids like this..

nope, actually, one or two will do nicely, thank you very muchly! Be quiet now ovaries please.

Damn those movies for setting us up for these! What have been your harsh reality checks as a parent? Do leave a comment and share.

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Coming to terms with some harsh realities of parenthood. Why not check in with the good folk at #mommitment who are there to hear you at their Facebook page and group.

42 comments

  1. Hehe this post made me giggle. For me it began from the first moment of pregnancy. I expected to be glowing and beautiful instead I was spewing up 247 and struggling with crutches due to SPD. I may do a follow on post from this on my blog sometime if you don’t mind ?

  2. So, so, true. I love kids and so when I had my own I thought I’d have copious amounts of patience, after all, I do love kids and have been waiting for so long to have one. Now that I do, let’s just my patience always runs dry 😉

  3. ha ha ha – it’s like my brain is saying what you wrote……I can relate to this all!!! Funny and lighthearted ….. just what us parents need

  4. True True True True and True. I am especially guilty of waiting for my toddler’s nap and bedtime and then wine-o-clock (love the phrase!).
    Harsh reality check for me? Breastfeeding. Certainly not a breeze as depicted in movies. It’s hard work, painful and wtf can you do if your baby refuses to latch on?!!!
    Great post. Hilarious illustrations.
    #coolmumclub

  5. Ah, now you see I’m older than my brothers by a decade. This gave me a valuable insight into parenthood. I never expected it to be smooth and I wasn’t disappointed! #coolmumclub

  6. Yes, it’s all true-every single one!! I was like ‘wow, being a stay at home mum-I’ve made it!’ Imagining endless playing, crafts and cuddles… Now it’s just endless tantrums, fights, and forced trips to places I often don’t want to be going, so that we don’t kill each other!! Most days I’m counting down to bedtime by 9am!!
    #coolmumclub

  7. Lol, yes the reality isn’t quite how we imagined it! I still do it though – I’ll decide we’re going to sit down as a family and play games together and it usually ends with Sophie playing her own version, Jessica grumbling that Sophie isn’t playing it right and hubby and I pulling our hair out rather than the blissful family moment that I had in my head! And I thought I’d have so much more patience than I actually possess – there are days when I swear my patience reserve is permanently empty. #coolmumclub

  8. Ha ha, oh yes I thought I would be a free-love hippy mum when my babies were little. In actual fact I was an obsessive control freak!!! Crazy times. #coolmumclub

  9. Motherhood is DEFINITELY the hardest job I’ve done yet….thinking about making a return to part time working for a little rest 😉
    x MMT
    Thanks for being the cohostess with the mostess! #coolmumclub

  10. Hah hah! Love it. Yes, it is so very different from the movies and what we thought it would be. I am usually watching the clock from about 5pm on the countdown to bedtime and wine. I also met a mum at the school gate today who works 4 days a week and on today, her day off said she was desperate to get back to work for a rest!! Thanks for hosting #CoolMumClub xx

  11. Sitting. No-one told me that there wouldn’t be any sitting. I use to do a lot of sitting before I became a dad.

    No I just sit on the toilet and even then it’s normally interrupted by someone who requires me to stand again.

  12. Haha so true! The expectations and the reality are VERY different!! I had no idea it would be like this, the good times are more amazing than I ever imagined but the bad times are a million times worse than I could have ever imagined!! #coolmumclub

  13. My friends and I have decided wine o’clock starts anytime after 11am depending on the severity of the situation. This is the real deal and it’s messy. x #coolmumclub

  14. This is so true! Parenthood is NOTHING like anyone said it would be! What a fun and witty post! Thanks for sharing! #coolmumclub

  15. What do you mean you don’t go running through fields of lavender every day?? Is it just me that does that?! Whilst swigging from a bottle of wine, obvs! Very funny post #coolmumclub

  16. Hehe love this, especially number two. I compared my day with the two babies to ‘being on the front line’ to the OH the other day and he said ‘well it’s not like you’re at war is it?’ …. Umm yes that’s exactly how it feels actually xx

  17. LOVED this! I had to agree with you, especially the battlefront scene. I have to get my uniform ready for battle! #coolmumclub

  18. I love being with my little man but like you said when it’s bed time he needs to be going straight to sleep! A very funny and true list x #coolmumclub

  19. Perfect! I always love your posts, lovely. Comical and honest. The clock watching certainly hits home with me! X #coolmumclub

  20. Ha! This is so true, I spend my days cleaning up fruit puree rather than living a life like it! If only our perception of parenthood was the reality 😀

  21. I think what hit me was the fact that I thought I’d mentally prepared for how hard it was going to be! I was under no illusions that it would be plain-sailing but this just takes the biscuit! It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life!!!

    Interestingly though, I expected the newborn stage to be the hardest but for me it wasn’t. The twins couldn’t run around, talk or refuse my food (thankfully, they always took their bottles, every 2/3 hours) but adrenaline and excitement kept me going… Now? I just feel utterly drained and I find toddlerhood extremely challenging. Love is definitely a survival mechanism otherwise we’d just say “screw this!” and walk away lol

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