Parenting is Unfulfilling
“You might find parenting unfulfilling. In fact, I would argue that parenting is not completely fulfilling for anyone—nor should it be. Our children's lives cannot and should not consume our own (much as they might devour our time and attention). Our children are not and should not be viewed as extensions of ourselves.”
10 Dark Parenting Truths We Never Talk About
- Kristen Oganowski
There is a popular belief that children and child rearing gets in the way of fulfilling pursuits. There are those that believe that somehow I should be able to parent children yet find my satisfaction in the same places that I found it before I was a parent. I should be able to have children and not change my lifestyle. Parenting is a game changer. To have children and to not understand this is to live a life that will greatly frustrate your children and yourself. When you choose to have children, parenting must become what you do. It should influence every decision and every activity from the point of conception until death. It does not dictate every activity. But it should be a constant consideration. This thought should bring you no less joy than a student who considers an activity in light of whether they have class or homework, or an employee who considers an activity in light of whether they are scheduled to work or not. Many things influence our decisions, it’s always been and will always be that way. When you become a parent, what influences your decision must be responses toward the goals you have for influencing the heart, life and character of another person, namely your child. That is not a depressing thought. That’s a good thing. Unless of course you are a selfish person. At which point my advice would be, deal with your selfishness and don’t settle with it.