By Bubbles Salvador
The day I first brought home my baby boy from the hospital felt like the first day of classes.
When I was still single, I helped my sister, who is a single mom, raise all three of her kids. But I had no idea what to do with the baby whom I had willingly and lovingly brought into this world. What if he cried all night? What if he got hungry and I couldn’t breastfeed?
Fast forward to two years later: I am still no expert, and there are days that feel like it’s the first day of classes all over again. I have only been a mom for all of two years, but I know that raising a child is no easy feat. (Hats off to those who’ve been moms for longer.) I grapple with issues like discipline and TV time and toilet training and lola’s spoiling. Did I mention that I still have no idea if I’m doing it right?
The thing about being a parent is that there doesn’t seem to be any right or wrong answer to anything. Yes, you can rely on what books and experts say, but what seems to work perfectly for one mom may not work for me and my son. I think that’s when it starts to feel like the first day of school – I am constantly running to “beat the bell,” looking for the “right classroom,” and trying to “belong.”
But oh, I tell you, my life has never been this exciting. Every day I am amazed at how Luis is growing and learning things. (Of late, it is his ability to string words together to form a sentence that makes me go “Awww.”) Being in first-day-of-school mode can be scary, but I like it because the excitement doesn’t ever wear out.
I can’t wait for more amazing experiences to come.
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash