You Know You Are A Parent When…

Unequivocally since becoming parents approximately 5 years ago, my Husband and I can candidly say that not one day is exactly like the other.  Although repetition is touted to be “king” in raising a child the act of being a parent is continuously met with: laughs, wonderment, and challenges.  Parenthood is a 24/7 conscious journey for the majority of us that decide to become parents. Eventually (or so we have been told) fraught by the hallmark of bags and dark eye circles, grey hairs, and dare I say wrinkles smiling back at you in the mirror.  Beautiful but also frightful, enduring, and classic parenting mementos that go with the task of molding a new life.

The entrance into parenthood varies for all of us as does the “sentiment that you are a parent.”  Not that you aren’t a parent after your child is born; of course, you are, we all are.  However, what are the “true/stark” moments in life that cause you to echo back to yourself and your child this truth?

I asked my fellow Multicultural kids bloggers to chime in on this article, humorously titled, you know you’re a parent when…?  It is not just the simple realization that you have entered into motherhood or fatherhood but that your life and/or lifestyle have forever been altered.  Here are our 37 ways you know you’re a parent when.

37 Ways You Know You Are A Parent

1.) You know you’re a parent when you find yourself telling your child “Mommy/Daddy’s food is too spicy” so they don’t ask for any of it.  With a silent sigh, you can now eat, and enjoy each morsel of your food with a greater sense of peace.  Not a 100% sold on your food being spicy, your child attentively watches you as you both eat at the dinner table.  Every now and again, to reinforce your foods spiciness you find yourself uttering “hot”; “spicy”; “I need to drink some more water!”
Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

2.) You know you’re a parent when you are ecstatic about your child going #2 and anything #2 and child/kid related!
Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

3.) You know you’re a parent when vacuuming and cleaning your home becomes a never-ending daily chore. 

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

4.) You know you’re a parent when your cheat day is sneaking in Pepsi with your dinner in a coffee cup.
Tamania Jaffri, Super Urdu Mom (www.urdumom.com).

5.) You know you’re a parent when you find yourself alone in a quiet bathroom and worry some disaster is taking place elsewhere in the house.
Indra Roelants, Melting Pot International([email protected]).

 

6.) You know you’re a parent when you can’t remember the last time you only washed one load of laundry.
Lisa Ferland, Knocked up Abroad (http://knockedupabroad.eu/).

7.) You know you’re a parent when you rush to help another parent struggling with a door and stroller (or an armful of toddler).

Lisa Ferland, Knocked up Abroad (http://knockedupabroad.eu/).

 

8.) You know you’re a parent when your home office looks like a children’s museum.
Yolimari Garcia, Bookworms and owls (www.bookwormsandowls.com).

 

9.) You know you’re a parent when you find yourself watching kid shows after yours aren’t even around.
Shanicia Boswell, Black Moms Blog (www.blackmomsblog.com).

 

10.) You know you’re a parent when you have to hide in the closet to eat dessert.

Shanicia Boswell, Black Moms Blog (www.blackmomsblog.com).

 

11.) You know you’re a parent when you wake up because it’s too quiet.

Lisa Sadleir, Cooking with Languages (www.CookingWithLanguages.com).
12.) You know you’re a parent when a dribble/ spot of vomit is referred to as a badge of honor.
Lisa Sadleir, Cooking with Languages (www.CookingWithLanguages.com).

 

13.) You know you’re a parent when you start being known or introducing yourself as the mum/dad of …
Lisa Sadleir, Cooking with Languages (www.CookingWithLanguages.com).

 

14.) You know you’re a parent when your kids ask “what’s that?” And your answer is “not for you”!

Ruby Wright, GUBlife: Growing up Blackxican (http://www.growingupblackxican.com).

 

 

15.) You know you’re a parent when you have “heart-attacks” in the middle of the night because of a “creature” in PJs hovering over you at 2 am in the morning.

Eolia Scarlett Disler, La Cite Des Vents (www.lacitedesvents.blogspot.com).

 

16.) You know you’re a parent when you prefer to spend your last bank note on a cute outfit in size 5 years old rather than on the pants you really need to buy.

Eolia Scarlett Disler, La Cite Des Vents (www.lacitedesvents.blogspot.com).

 

17.) You know you’re a parent when silence is not anymore synonym of boredom.

Eolia Scarlett Disler, La Cite Des Vents  (www.lacitedesvents.blogspot.com).

 

18.) You know you’re a parent when shouting “à table” at least 5 times ( =dinner is ready) is the social norm in your house.

Eolia Scarlett Disler, La Cite Des Vents (www.lacitedesvents.blogspot.com).

 

19.) You know you’re a parent when the pasta with salt and butter is more loved than your fabulously cooked homemade dish.

Eolia Scarlett Disler, La Cite Des Vents (www.lacitedesvents.blogspot.com).

 

20.)  You know you’re a parent when you know how to walk around toys and legos on the floor without hurting your feet.

Galina Nikitina, Trilingual Children (www.trilingualchildren.com).

21.) You know you’re a parent when you have a pile of kids books next to your bed.

Galina Nikitina, Trilingual Children (www.trilingualchildren.com).

 

22.) You know you’re a parent when a dream vacation is to go to a hotel and sleep (sans kids of course)

Fariba Dashtgard Soetan, Mixed Race Family (www.mixedracefamily.com).

 

23.) You know you’re a parent when you start counting at the drop of a hat 1…2….3…

Charu Chhitwal, Kidzlens (https://m.facebook.com/Kidzlens/).

 

24.) You know you’re a parent when you know Disneyland in and out.

Charu Chhitwal, Kidzlens (https://m.facebook.com/Kidzlens/).

 

25.) You know you’re a parent when, your day is divided between wake-up time, meal time, poo-poo time, playtime and activity time.

Charu Chhitwal, Kidzlens (https://m.facebook.com/Kidzlens/).

 

26.) You know you’re a parent when you go for a hot cup of cappuccino but always end up drinking cold coffee somehow.

Charu Chhitwal, Kidzlens (https://m.facebook.com/Kidzlens/).

 

27.) You know you’re a parent when your conversations with your spouse/signification other are 90% child related.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

28.) You know you’re a parent when you are constantly changing your child’s clothing because they: want to play dress up, the clothes are now itchy, they dropped something on the clothes, they don’t like how the clothes look etc.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

29.) You know you’re a parent when you talk with your extended family members and they always ask about your child first. 

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

30.)  You know you’re a parent when you have a little one/child/children that mirrors and says everything you do.  Ahh, hello my other shadow(s)!

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

31.) You know you’re a parent when, you learn that postage stamps are merely stickers.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

32.) You know you’re a parent when, you miss the little things in life—like sleeping alone, peace, and quiet.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

33.) You know you’re a parent when you get excited to use the bathroom solo.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

34.) You know you’re a parent when you’ve been peed on during various times of the day.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

35.) You know you’re a parent when you’ve seen your child “break out” of their crib just to be in your arms.

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

36.) You know you’re a parent when your hair is unkempt but your child’s hair is perfect. Wearing a ponytail and/or hat becomes second nature, that’s why they were invented right?

Nikita Gupta, Growing Up Gupta (www.growingupgupta.com).

 

37.) You know you’re a parent when, you go to the shops for yourself, and come home with bags of things for your kids!

Chontello Bonfiglio, Bilingual Kids Spot (www.bilingualkidspot.com)

 

What are some of your you know you’re a parent moments? Post a comment below and share this post! Like our content subscribe!

 

What are some of your you know you’re a parent moments? Post a comment below and share this post! Like our content subscribe!