5 Things that Annoy New Parents

14 Sep 2016 Comments

Things New Parents Find Annoying

Becoming a mother brought with it many blessings – babies of course, more purpose in my life and a new found love for Peppa Pig. What I didn’t expect were the unwanted events, advice and situations that are thrust upon new parents, whether they like it or not.

I’ve been a mother for over 3 years now and I finally feel in a position where I know the kind of mother I want to be. I don’t know exactly how to be that kind of mother yet and I’m still finding my feet but I’m confident enough to know what I want for myself and my family and what I need to do to achieve it.

I didn’t quite realise that motherhood was the huge challenge that it was, and still is, and along the way there have been occasions where I could have done without certain issues getting in my way of being a good mum. Those little day-to-day things that could have made my life easier!

You have to learn to live with some of them but nonetheless, here are some of the things that annoyed me as a new parent:

1. Unsolicited Advice

I’m all for learning from others, especially friends and family, but advice from strangers about how I am parenting my child is generally never welcomed. Especially the constant “Is she hungry?”, “Is he cold?” etc when my babies so much as gurgled. New mums are paranoid enough about if they’re doing the right thing. How about some positive reinforcement rather than adding to the fear?!

2. Sanctimummies

And Sanctidaddies come to think about it. Those parents who think they know everything about everything to do with children. Especially your child apparently. How do they know everything? Because they just DO! They are so convinced that their way of parenting is the only way that everyone else should parent too and they are relentless in their mission to convert you to their way of thinking. Not all mums and dads are alike and nor should they be.

3. Judgement

I’m going to hold my hands up here and confess that for a very long time, I judged other parents often unfairly. I’ve certainly tried to learn from my mistakes in doing so since I’ve been on the receiving end of other’s judgement a few times since becoming a parent myself.

It’s all too easy to draw the wrong conclusion about situations such as a child having a ‘tantrum’ in the supermarket or a friend not wanting to have children of their own. We have no idea why people make the choices they make about their family and we have no right to know why or to judge them for it.

4. No more ‘me time’

This is a tough one – because of course, I CHOSE to have my beautiful children and I would love to spend every waking hour with them.

However it might be nice, once in a while, to go to the toilet without a little hand knocking on the door to announce they’re “coming in too”. Or to enjoy cooking a leisurely meal in the kitchen without worrying about throwing a pan of hot water over a tottering toddler under my feet.

I used to enjoy a glass of wine when I cooked dinner sometimes. Those days are definitely gone for now!

5. Kids TV Shows

Not you Peppa, I love you! Some Kids TV shows are just a bit weird though. Take Topsy and Tim for example.

Yes, Topsy and Tim. No, not the retro book heroes of your childhood. I mean the ones on CBeebies now. Have you watched it? If you have not then, I envy you. If you have, you’ll surely feel my pain.

These two 8 year olds masquerading as toddlers drive me to distraction. Which is so very upsetting since I loved the stories when I was little.

My daughter ADORES the show though. Truly loves it. Sings the theme song day in, day out. When I ask her how she wants her hair in the morning she says “like Tim’s!” (don’t ask, makes no sense).

There are some annoying things that as new parents, we just have to put up with or ignore. People mean well, despite how it sometimes comes across.

What annoyed you when you became a new mum or dad?

And what would make your life easier?

Mim Jenkinson

Tags: Mums

Mim Jenkinson

Mim is a married mother of a 2 year old little girl and baby boy. An advocate of hypnobirthing, positive thinking and laughing at herself, she blogs about family life at lovefrommim.com. In November 2015 Mim was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and, after a successful lumpectomy, is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Her career spans creative and business writing, social media...

5 Things that Annoy New Parents