What I miss most about life before kids

3w ago1 min read

Don't get me wrong, I love being a dad. But sometimes I genuinely miss just sitting in a coffee shop on a Saturday morning reading a whole newspaper without interruption. Or being able to cook something complicated for dinner without having a toddler hanging on my leg. Even just sleeping past 5 AM would be nice. My buddies without kids will text about heading out spontaneously and I'm like yeah man sounds great but I need to confirm with my wife first and make sure we have childcare. That spontaneity is gone and I knew that coming in but experiencing it is different. On the flip side I've gained this weird patience I never had before and my relationships have gotten deeper because I'm more emotionally present. So it's a real trade off I guess.

3 comments124 views

Comments(3)

MMitchell R.Regular3w ago

Totally valid feeling. With three kids I rarely get that peace, but when I do on weekend pancake mornings it hits different. You're still a great dad for appreciating both sides of it.

MMasonNew Dad3w ago

This resonates. I've got three across two houses and I try to be present for all of it, but yeah, those solo moments before life gets loud are real.

PPete Y.Regular3w ago

Man, I get this. I treasure those quiet mornings with my kids still asleep. Try to grab even 20 minutes sometimes before everyone's awake - it's not the same but it helps.