How Much Is That Mommy In The Window?

31-Day Blog Challenge, Day 11:  Sell Yourself in 10 Words or Less

 

Free to a good home: Exhausted Mom. Housebroken. *Low-maintenance. (DidImentionFREE?)

*Two words connected with a hyphen count as one word, right?

One is the Loneliest Number

31-Day Blog Challenge, Day 8:  A Piece of Advice For Others

Well, if this isn’t role reversal time, I don’t know what is! Usually it’s me on the couch asking for advice. However in keeping with the spirit of this blog challenge, I suppose I can dole out one piece of advice to my readers today. I wracked my brain to think of what gem of wisdom I could share with my fellow human beings. I think I’ve established that I have a hard time measuring my own worth, let alone broadcasting it to an audience. I guess the best way to help others is to speak from personal experience and hope for the best.

*Disclaimer: This advice is merely my own opinion and not meant to be taken as the words of an expert. Don’t try this at home.

As I shared in my first blog challenge post, I am an only child. In a desperate attempt to find a scapegoat for my many flaws, I can’t help but to keep returning to that fact. I’m selfish? If I’d had to learn to share everything with my siblings, that wouldn’t be true! I like being the center of attention? Well, of course I do! I’ve been the center of my parents’ attention for forty-something years! I’m easily disappointed? Duh. When you’re used to always getting your way, you tend to set really high expectations. Okay, so maybe these are really exaggerated examples, but the point remains. If I’d had sisters or brothers to share it with, my life would have been totally different.

Which brings me to the topic of this blog post… My best piece of advice is for you future parents out there:

Don’t have only ONE child.

While I understand that’s not always possible, and that many parents are happy they were even able to HAVE a baby in the first place, if there’s any question about whether or not to give your kid a sibling, take it from me and just do it.

To prospective parents, it might seem easier just having to take care of one baby, put one kid through college, and pay for one wedding. To the potential only child, it might seem great to have everything to yourself, to not have to share your parents’ love, and to always have your own room. Trust me, this grass ain’t so green.

Parents: When you grow old and your only child has moved across country with his/her spouse’s family, who will take turns having you over for dinner? Who will take care of you when your mind begins to go? Who will pay for the nursing home? And what if your one chance at having grandchildren decides she’d rather have a career than kids? Or he decides to remain a bachelor? Or become a priest? Lonely-Only’s: Who will you play with on rainy days when Dad’s at work and Mom has a headache? Who will you borrow those cute jeans from? Who can you depend on to scare away unwelcome suitors? And, who will grieve with you when the inevitable happens and your parents pass away?

Don’t get me wrong. There are definitely advantages to the non-sibling life. I have an incredibly close relationship with my parents. After they retired, they didn’t have to choose which kid to move near. My sons are the only grandchildren they have, so they are able to attend every ball game, enjoy every school performance, and celebrate every milestone with them. Holidays are easier to schedule. Babysitters are always available. And whatever inheritance or legacy they leave is mine and mine alone.

My awesome Mom & Dad.

But then I watch my two boys, throwing the ball to each other in the driveway. Making forts together inside on rainy days. Arguing over who called shotgun in the car. Wrestling over the last piece of pizza. Cheering each other on during football games. Having each other’s back against the cruelties of the world… And then I’m glad I took my own advice.

My two kidooski’s, Boy 1 and Boy 2.