10 More Things, Episode 5

By Staci Pace

And continues…

41.  Go ahead and get used to saying: “Stop that.” “Don’t do that.” “Put that down.” “Be quiet.” You’ll never stop.
42.  You’ll quickly learn why your mom made some meals over and over again. And then you’ll ask her for the recipes. 
43.  Don’t ever tell your children that they have to pick up their toys or you’ll throw them away. Because the problem is that they don’t want to pick them up in the first place, and they’d rather you do it for them. Not to mention, what will you do tomorrow when they’re bored?
44.  You have to set ground rules with your spouse early on about discipline. Because when a kid is grounded from outside and friends it’s not really punishment for them as much as you. 
45.  At least one of your children will eat their boogers, one will wipe them on everything and one will try to give them to you, but they all will pick them.
46.  No matter how many times you tell them not to they will wipe their hands on their clothes. 
47.  Some areas of your house will always smell like pee no matter how many times you scrub them.
48.  A parent with all girls just won’t understand a parent with all boys and vice versa.
49.  At some point you will wish that you could arrange a marriage for your child, and possibly as early as 12.
50.  Baking with your child is NOT NEARLY as fun as it sounds.

This article was originally posted on Jesus Had A Mama.

Episode 1: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

Episode 2: 10 More Things I Wish I Knew

Episode 3: 10 More Things, Episode 3

Episode 4: 10 More Things, Episode 4

Episode 5: 10 More Things, Episode 5

10 More Things, Episode 4

By Staci Pace

31. You will wish for the snow day more than your child. And then, when it happens you will wonder why you ever wished for it in the first place.

32. Cable television is something to avoid at all costs. Commercials are not something you want to welcome into your home.

33. You will be ashamed of yourself on a daily basis. And proud of yourself just as much.

34. Cooking dinner will be one of the hardest jobs. Do I really have to make vegetables with every meal?

35. Anything can be broken. Anything. 

36. Legos are the most awesome thing ever made and the worst thing ever made.

37. Kids have really good ears.

38. Everything in your home has the capacity to be sticky.

39. Don’t ever say “Would you just act your age?!” Because they are.  And that’s the problem.

40. Act as if it’s time to go 15 minutes before it’s time to go. Always. Or you will always be late. Everywhere. 

 

This article was originally posted on Jesus Had A Mama.

Episode 1: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

Episode 2: 10 More Things I Wish I Knew

Episode 3: 10 More Things, Episode 3

Episode 4: 10 More Things, Episode 4

10 More Things: Episode 3

And the list continues…

21. You will never be able to go to the bank without getting lollipops.

22. Grocery shopping alone will become a luxury and something you treasure if it actually happens.

23. Diaper pails are WORTHLESS!! 

24. You will have more socks than you know what to do with but none of them will match. 

25. The knees in pants are just not made strong enough.

26. There really is a witching hour.

27. Car seats suck. Especially when you need 3 of them in one car.

28. If you find a children’s movie that you like, buy it. Immediately. And avoid all others at all costs!!

29. Ban the words “I want” from the get go.

30. Don’t get rid of your baby stuff until you’re done having babies. By the time you have your next one the best toy you had will be banned by whoever it is that doesn’t want children to have any fun.

 

View Episode 1: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

View Episode 2: 10 More Things I Wish I Knew

This article was originally posted at Jesus Had A Mama.  

10 More Things I Wish I Knew…

By Staci Pace

Here are 10 more thoughts I’ve had about having children. Can you relate?

11. Spending the day at home with your kids alone is completely different than spending the day at home with the kids AND your spouse.

12.  Bunk beds are from hell. Have you ever changed the sheets on bunk beds??

13. You will clean up more spills than you ever thought possible. FOR.THE.REST.OF.YOUR.LIFE.

14. Independent kids are messy kids. But they can make their own lunch and entertain themselves for hours. You’ll just have to spend hours cleaning up afterward.

15. If they fall asleep in the car, you’ll never want to stop driving, so keep your favorite music handy and enjoy the ride every once in a while.

16. If you want your child to be clean, you’ll have to physically wash them yourself until they’re about 6. And after that, you’ll have to smell them to be sure they actually washed themselves.

17. You have to floss their teeth. Yes, seriously. 

18. You will find remnants of food EVERYWHERE!

19. You will find a new appreciation for hard flooring. Until they fall. And then, for a fleeting moment you’ll wish for carpet.

20. Shoes are worn only to be ruined.

 

This article was originally posted on Jesus Had A Mama. 

 

 

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Had Kids

By Staci Pace

When I was younger, I dreamed of having 8 children. Then I grew up. Now, I am a wife and a mother of 3 beautiful, amazing children: Reese, my oldest boy, is 9 years old, Ethan is 7 and my spitfire little girl, Maddie, is 4. The parenthood journey is far more exciting, demanding, wonderful, messy, stressful, eye opening, difficult, and fascinating than I ever could have imagined. And, although I am an avid reader and consumed book after book about the parenting adventure as well as seeking out wisdom and advice from those who had gone before me, I certainly feel at times that not nearly enough was said to me regarding some of the day to day activities of running a household with children. So, with the idea in mind that perhaps you might be able to be a bit more prepared for the entirely exhausting life of parenthood, or at least that you might not feel alone in your everyday struggles, here are some things that I’ve learned along the way. 

1.  Everything you own will be colored on.

2.  You will learn very quickly how ugly your speech is because they will parrot it constantly. 

3.  When they get sick you will spend your entire grocery budget on medicine. I’m talking over the counter. (Health insurance, co-pays, prescription medications are a completely different category.)

4.  Sleep is never ever the same. Ever. zzzz…

5.  You will never be able to clean your house once a week. And that’s okay. 

6.  Their homework is your homework. 

7.  You have to get rid of 90% of their toys every year or you will be overrun. 

8.  The laundry, literally, will never, never, never, never stop.stop.stop.stop.

9.  Cleaning up poop does not end with potty training.

10.   If you have more than one boy it doesn’t matter how many times you wipe the toilet there will always be pee all over it, and you will find yourself longing for the days when the toilet was outside the home. 

This article was originally posted at Jesus Had a Mama.