This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #2Good2Bear #CollectiveBias
Prior to becoming a parent, I was a teacher, private tutor, school director, step aunt, big sister…and probably every other position you can think of regarding children. None of those experiences can actually prepare you for becoming a mother. Parenting is a commitment to understanding that your life will permanently change forever. No turning around, no going back. You are forever a new version of yourself.
And you can never really know what kind of parent you will be beforehand. I thought maybe I would be the type of mom who would value discipline and following the rules and structure. I thought I would be the type of mom who would let my babies cry-it-out in their cribs and use bottles and pacifiers. But soon after Lydia was born, I become a cloth-diapering, breastfeeding, bed-sharing, baby-wearing, crunchy attachment parent. And I have no regrets whatsoever. I became the mother I was meant to be.
But as quickly as you were thrown into parenting and caring for a newborn, an infant, a toddler… you have big kids. The baby you could once carry everywhere as she cooed and napped becomes a first grader who leaves your home from 8:30 – 3:00 each day. And almost daily you’re faced with all new sets of challenges and decisions and beautiful moments to be treasured forever.
They go from eating mashed bananas and peas one-at-a-time to school lunches and playground snacks. I cannot emphasize enough: it happens so fast. When choosing snacks for my kids, I try to pick treats I know they will love, but avoid ingredients I’d rather not feed them. New TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks are free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and artificial colors. The teddy bear shape is super cute and fun to eat!
Lydia began kindergarten last year, and while it was tough to let go of my first born, handing her over to our local public school for a majority of each day, I was confident she would excel. She’s a natural leader! She’s confident, friendly, determined, and absolutely brilliant. She makes me proud to be her mother every single day.
But Bryce has always been my baby. Lydia was a pretty independent kid in so many ways as soon as Bryce was born. She has an inner drive that makes her a success at almost everything she tries. Bryce’s strengths tend to be non-academic. He’s super affectionate, has a hilarious sense of humor, and is a great singer. He keeps all of us laughing every single day and has an incredible imagination!
When Bryce begins kindergarten next school year, life will be very different. I will drop the kids off together and come home to an empty house for about 6 hours a day. I won’t work with kids jumping on my head, demanding I put on cartoons over home renovation shows. My home, which was once filled with toddlers learning to walk and finger paints on the tiled floors, will be a giant office filled with silence, just the clicking of my fingers on this keyboard and the sound of me setting up photography equipment for my next shoot.
I’m ready for the change, although I know I will be saddened by it, because it means that my kids have grown to be strong, school-age children, ready to share their beauty with the world {within the boundaries of classrooms, of course}. I’m excited to see how they both find success in school in their own ways, making friends, learning to read and write, and becoming more technologically-advanced than their blogger mom {that was the comic relief if you happen to be misty-eyed like I am}.
When it’s time to pack backpacks and lunch boxes, head to Walmart where you can purchase tasty snacks, like TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks, located down the cookie and cracker aisle or this center display. Use the free Ibotta app to earn cash back on the purchase of TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks at Walmart! Your kids will enjoy trying both the chocolate and vanilla varieties, made with quality ingredients such as milk, eggs, and chocolate. Visit Walmart on 2/23 to enjoy a Teddy Grahams and GoGo Squeeze demo.
How do you treasure special moments with your children?
Any Comments?