…one, two, three, whoa

With a firstborn child, the shining spark of infant success is like a meteor shower that spells genius and the ensuing trails of brilliance are met with universal Ahhs and Oohs.   We must to win “Best of Show” at the great parenting fair in the "brightest stars" classification.

Then the second star bursts forth and the parent realizes that the enthusiastic spark of excitement that flashed with the first has waned slightly.  And the Ahhs and Oohs are Oh's and Eughs!

When the third child flashes, he trails on the tails of the burning comet, and thrives on burnt out cinders and when the last spark bursts forth, the parental brain cells are toast.  

With a last born, parental tranquility and harmony float along as detritus in the wake of the child’s momentary flashes of effort.


Dear Me,
    Eighty percent of the children in the youngest child’s P.M. kindergarten class are last siblings of teenagers, whose parents have surrendered the futile battle of bedtime. If they are in bed by eleven and out of it by eleven, we can make it to school, and on rare occasions, even be on time.      We’ve become imperturbable, passive parents who seek peace and love and recognize that there are other advantages to being the youngest member in a teen-filled home—like advanced math, chemistry, and other bits of knowledge on a higher level.
     An experienced K-12 teacher can recognize and appreciate the trade-offs. It’s all good, T.

While this lessening of stress may be good, the unfortunate side effect is that it takes a greater spark to enthuse and excite me. The activities at school have become as shopworn and soiled as the recycled Halloween costume and working up enthusiasm for what seems like one’s twentieth authentic First Thanksgiving feast no longer kindles the rush of adrenaline that it once did.

To me:
I give him a choice. The third child’s food pyramid costume is either the first’s child’s twice-recycled potato man outfit, or a sack over the head with marker scrawled across it. Which is your vote? Tenuously grasping, T

Reality bite: Have I worn off the worrywart?

I’ve isolated the problem and formulated an answer. Parents who are world-wise are not swayed by opinion and are able to realize what is important. And what is important is being a sane parent. T.