One thing’s for sure about parenting: it takes a village, and we are constantly consulting and relating with people from our tribe. Thankfully, we can help each other out by imparting knowledge, words of wisdom, and funny anecdotes to express that we are all figuring parenthood out together. We asked and you answered: Parents from Westchester County, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island share how their definition of love changed after becoming a parent. We also feature quotes from some of our go-to blogs and sites, including how we feel our kids’ feelings and how to handle your child’s first crush. Plus, one of our funniest, most relatable Instagram posts—trust us, we’ve all been there.
How did your definition of love change after becoming a parent?
“Becoming a mom taught me to love from a different part of who I was before my kids were born. Before I became a mom I thought I knew the boundaries of my heart. From the moment I found out I was pregnant and then first saw my children, I knew that this kind of love is totally different than any other love I’ve felt before and that love truly is limitless, life altering, boundless, and completely unconditional.”
—Monica Shulman, Lower Hudson Valley, artist and photographer
“Before becoming a parent, I have to admit that my idea of love was fickle, superficial, and often materialistic. After having children, my definition of love became seriously unconditional because even though my little ones do & say things that may hurt me, I still care about them immensely and want to continue protecting and nurturing them. My parental love is selfless and my whole being is devoted to my children. This kind of love is physical and emotional and encompasses my life and affects every decision I make.”
—Scherrie Donaldson, East Flatbush, creator of thirtymommy.com
“Love means catching throw up in your hands. Love means staying up with a sick child. Love means making four different sandwiches for four children. Love means that your favorite present is the one they chose from the boutique at school. Love means your favorite days are the ones where you see how proud they are of themselves and their accomplishments. Love means helping them through difficult times with a smile even though it breaks your heart. Love means my heart grew every time I had another child and that my life is full of love every day.”
—Rima Potter, Port Jefferson
“Having kids unlocked an entire new compartment in my heart for love. I tell them every second that I get that I love them and mean it sincerely. My heart feels full now and I am so happy to experience the love of a mother. It truly has no bounds.”
—Suzanne Cohen, Manhattan, mom behind gothamlove.com
Puppy Love
“My son’s first crush was Victoria. It was love at first sight when they met in kindergarten and it continued in elementary school. Then Titanic came out and their relationship tanked too—until my son declared his affection on national television. During an appearance on the show Kids Say the Darndest Things, he said in the cutest little 6-year-old voice that he loved Victoria, but then explained: ‘She dumped me…because she loves Leonardo DiCaprio.’”
—Laurie Sue Brockway in an NYMP article entitled “How to Handle Your Child’s First Crush”
Parental Empathy
“I swear our emotions and psyches are inextricably linked with our children’s in some deep, cosmic way. What they feel, we feel. What they experience, we experience. We may not feel or experience what they do to the same degree or with the same intensity, but parental empathy is real. And it’s freaking exhausting.” —Annie Reneau in a post entitled “We Feel Our Kids’ Feelings, And It’s Exhausting” on scarymommy.com
A Moment That’s Too Real
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…I came around to the front of the stroller, grabbed his legs and as words started to come out of my mouth, I felt my eyes fill with hot tears and my voice catch in my throat. I barely managed to say, “You are making mommy very sad” before the tears started cascading down my face.” Anyone else have experience with raising a strong-willed child? (Posted by @brooklynboymom, aka Rhianon Hoffman, who blogs at brooklynboymom.com) |
