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I adore my kids and I love being a mom, but I admit that there are a few things that I miss since I became a parent.
What about you?
Sleeping in, going to the bathroom in peace, girls’ night out… What are the things you miss the most since having children? Join me on Momversation as I chat about life before kids.
Written by Janice Croze, co-founder of the Mom Blog 5 Minutes for Mom.
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom.
shalu says
what i miss most is my sleep then follows uninterrupted meals, reading, going to work(i never thought i would miss that), lazying around, traveling at my pace, freedom. i immensely love my child but i need break from everything and everyone. i want a day when i dont have to think about diapers or meals or anything related to anybody except myself. ever since i got married this process of loosing myself started. my husband is very very loving and i turn out to be giving my whole life to him and then comes the baby so whatever was left is also gone. i love them both and they love me back but is love always enough. i know i am being bad person by being selfish but i really want to go back to life where i did whatever i wanted to do whenever i wanted to do. baby got up. bye
calgary dentist says
For me, formerly working as a lawyer in a large law firm to now staying at home with three little children, what I miss the most is that social interaction with people who share the same professional interests as I do. Although I now work with my husband, it really is not the same as having your “own thing”. Of course, I think there are ways around this and lately I’m thinking I’m just going to try to get out a little harder and make some new social circles.
Nikki says
Well I am only 20 and I have a three year old from my husbands first marriage and I just had a baby who is now 7 weeks old. I miss SLEEP!! haha I know I will eventually get it back haha but right now i get maybe 3 hours a night and when the infant is sleeping during the day I can’t just sleep with him like everyone tells me to do becuase I have the three year old. I am a stay at home mom but I am also going to college online and between that and the two boys I get almost no time to myself. Don’t get me wrong I love both of my boys to death. But its just a lot when a year ago I didn’t have any kids or any responsibilities besides work and my own personal bills. My husband helps when he can but he works the graveyard shift at the local newspaper and sleeps during the day so he really can’t do much. So I guess I miss sleep.. and no responsibilites. 🙂 I wouldn’t change it for the world though!!
IncidentalDomestic says
Wait. Sleep … wha? What’s that again?!! 😉
SPEEDbit says
Thanks for starting this thread Janice! That’s a great question. We think that having kids is the best! So, we don’t really miss much. Well, except the peace and quiet at the beginning.:)
Angelica says
I can honestly can say I do not miss anything. I am truely as as we all are who have kidsare blessed. They are the most precious gift given to us. I am blessed to be given a second chance. I have learned after lossing my one daughter, never take one moment for granted. My second chance came this last year on January 1 st. and I love every single moment as does her siblings.
Crystal says
I started raising kids when I was a kid, I don’t know what I would have missed. I traded my youth to raise them and I wouldn’t go back and change it for anything in the world. I love them all so much! I would have liked to date I guess without it being like a job interview. But I loved to death the man who got the Job!
Kristina says
I of course love my daughter and the one on the way but I miss sleeping in, having a clean house, going to the bathroom by myself and the store where I was free to roam for hours in silence. Oh well, maybe again in 20 years 🙂
Jenn says
What do I miss most about life before kids? My sanity!!
Anna says
I miss getting ready for work in peace and quiet with no one talking to me or me having to talk to anyone else prior to my cup of coffee. I was blessed with an amazing daughter whos only flaw is that she is as in love with the morning as me. 🙂
christina casey says
I really dont miss it, before kids. I have a 20,18 that are gone so I had a another One and got a adorable little man who will be 2 in sept. I missed not having my kids around. (Teenagers.) I love just being with the all the time. Im raising my husbands three girls 8,10.15 full time. I love being a mom
Erin says
Just being carefree…mostly! Some other things might be having to take showers at certain times or missing one ewww lol. ( i am a stay at home mom with a 6yr old & a 1yr old). No time to do my very thick unruly frizzy hair like I need. Plus also being able to go where ever or do whatever at a moments notice. However, I love my kids to no end and definitely could not imagine life without them now <3
Megan says
I miss my freedom and being appreciated by my husband. Oh wait a sec… that didn’t happen before kids either..
I love my kids and wouldn’t trade them for anything, but some days I do wish I could wake up and do whatever the hell I feel like doing.
Toronto Doula, Kelly says
Yikes – you guys are scaring me! I’m expecting my first and hope I haven’t forgotten to get in all my “me-time” before the baby comes. No regrets. I can’t wait!
Janice says
Oh gosh – don’t be scared girl! The recurrent theme is we would NEVER trade it for anything!! 🙂
ENJOY!
Judy Schwartz Haley says
being able to DO things. I’m constantly having to cancel meetings as well as fun activities because I have no reliable child care. I miss being reliable.
Non-Stop Mom says
I miss going to the grocery store alone – being able to read labels and get everything on the list without getting frustrated and leaving because the kids aren’t behaving. Or being able to go to the library by myself and actually browse through the books to find ones that I want. As a single mom of 5, ages 4-11, I don’t get much “me time”.
But, for the first time ever, all of my kids will be in school this fall – I will have a half day every day to myself. The first day, I’m going grocery shopping. The second day, I’m going to the library. Then I’m going to start walking/running again.
🙂
Amy
amy aka Ms Paperlicious says
my corporate credit card!
Jen E says
Shopping without kids. And I mean like going to the mall and shopping for yourself and not just buying your kids things and not pushing a stroller and not telling your 4 or 5 year old to keep up and don’t touch that and that’s breakable. Don’t even get me started on the grocery store.
Annie says
Wonderful vlog Janice! Before kids, I miss being able to just go places with my husband. That was our thing – we traveled. Now, it is way too expensive to travel with kids and I miss those trips with him.
Paige says
I used to miss sitting in my favorite coffee shop with my sketchbook and not have to worry about when I got back to the house. Now I just get a little more creative in my time scheduling, I bought a decent coffee maker and my favorite coffee and sit out early on the patio and drink a cup before my little man and my tazmanian devil dog get up.
Kimberly says
I don’t! Seriously… no regrets!
Lolli says
It’s really tough to say, because it’s been SO long since I didn’t have any kids. I think I miss being able to wake up when I wanted to. And not having to be responsible all the time.
Dawn says
I miss exercise! Whenever I see someone running outside, I am jealous. The stroller worked great when they were little, but they are not quite ready for bikes. Actually, one is and she can bikes circles around me and gets bored because she has to back track so much. The gym would be great, but by the time you get home from work, visit with them, make sure they do their homework, get supper on the table, then it is time to go to bed. I don’t have 24 hours gyms and truly find at home fitness better. Unfortunately, it seems to many things come up. I truly miss the freedom to go for a walk at my pace or do yoga without kids crawling under me as I am trying to balance in my pose. I miss exercise!
Paige says
Dawn,
I am sure you have seen the yoga kids collection and the bend like a pretzel kids yoga cards. I find they are so helpful and useful. I have 6 nieces and I bring those and my resistance bands with me at the holidays so that I get my exercise and the girls get to extercise as one calls it with their auntie. The girls use the bands to be supergirl and the cards are a challenge for them. As for the bike issue, the balance bike attachment to the back of your bike will let uou corral the kiddo that cannot ride yet and if he or she is not old enough for that, I adore my bike trailer and believe you me, you get a work out. Hope this helps. I too can’t get to a gym but I have learned to up the ante with my at home stuff.
LaTersa Blakely says
I gotta say: “I miss being able to go out without, having to get my little ones ready. Going window shopping and staying in stores as long as I want to. With my babies, they always say are you done yet mommy. Or, being able to spend money on myself without having to think about do the kids need something. But, overall, I wouldn’t change anything. I love my kids to pieces.
christieo says
Great topic! At one point I thought I missed going out, but then I’d go out with the girls for a night and realize I don’t miss that at all and I’d be pretty happy coming home. What I do think I miss most is working in a newsroom in an office, but on the flip side I wouldn’t change a thing because I love staying home with them, so it’s a tough call! I work now part-time from home and I love that, but being able to get anything done while they’re home is a definite challenge. Still trying to find the balance! Life was definitely different before kids, but of course I wouldn’t change a thing.
Forgetfulone says
Nothing. I don’t miss a thing about life before kids! Of course, mine are teenagers now, so that’s easy for me to say!