Dear friends from high school are being blessed with a long-awaited baby boy. At their shower, I cried some happy tears. So much joy is on the horizon for them. And also all the heartbreak that comes with the journey of parenting.
My friend, Tim, asked me, “Got any advice?”
“No, I know nothing.”
If there’s anything to be gained from parenting, it’s humility. I am more aware than ever of my missteps and limited knowledge.
“Oh, c’mon. That’s not true.”
“Okay,” I admitted. “I do know some stuff.”
I do know some stuff. I know a lot of stuff. I don’t know as much as I thought I did 15 years ago when I became a mom at 23. And the most valuable things I know about parenting are the things you have to learn yourself. But here’s my attempt at compiling what I would want to tell myself as a new mom, the things I’ll tell my children if they get to become parents some day, the things I would re-do if I could.
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