Positive experiences please!

[Hadassah]

Kat

DH wasn't raised around many cousins. He has 3 older than him, and 4 younger (much) than him, so he hasn't spent much of any time with any of them. He was the oldest grandchild on one side. Mama took care of everything, so we're ironing out a lot of things he just assumed me/mama would take care of. I'm trying to give mama a break, but not snub her either.

He forgets from time to time what all I do at home (especially since there are some weeks I never leave the house, not once), and sometimes he does take advantage of it - until he realizes either on his own or with a lot of help that I need assistance and some mental health time. (as mom says "You get Mickey-Mouse'd and Sesame Street-ed out" )

There are a lot of positives though, especially how helpful he can me, letting me get things done with JD and him cooking dinner, or his cleaning the bathrooms and windows, things I can't do because of my allergies and also having to be around the baby right after... or waking up and seeing him snuggling with the baby... hearing "Are you coming to bed? I'll be lonely all by myself and JD..."

 

[Leanna]

Onlies - both DH and I are onlies and I actually know selfish/not thinking for others onlies as well as siblings. Maybe there's more of a 'danger' of that in onlies

I missed the part about Onlies. I am an Only and I will call that garbage.

 

[latebloomer]

God took 13 years preparing us for parenthood. One thing I've learned is that parenting is a team sport--sometimes it resembles tag-team wrestling. Dad and Mom are the team with support from the coaches and assistants: grandparents, friends, neighbors, other relatives, teachers, doctors, etc. If the team doesn't work together, they'll find they're working against each other. I love seeing my husband with our boys, whether it's reading stories, watching TV, working together on something around the house, or deciding what kind of sandwich meat they want at the grocery store. Parenting can be exhausting at times, but I find it's very special, especially since we had to wait so long for it. Some people tell us "better you than me" but I figure they don't know what they're missing. We've had our struggles, financially and with health issues--our 5 year old was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 3--but we've been richly blessed.

 

[CelticRose]

We have 5 & I wish I'd started sooner & had more. Kids are the best. Seeing them grow & develop, seeing how they are alike & how they are different, watching their gifts unfold. Like anything worth having parenting takes time, commitment & practise! Lots & lots of practise.

 

[Gods4me]

Im not gonna lie and say its allway wonderful all the time its not, it stressfull there is tears and tantrums, but being a family the way i can feel my heart pounding out my cheast when were all cuddled together. its deffinatly worth it.

 

[Stan53]

Please someone tell me about how having children enriched your relationship with your husband or wife. I'd love to hear your stories.

Welcome to the mad world of parenthood. I use to have a head of jet block hair, now greying, and hair all over, now receding due to pulling my hair out by the roots.
Oh, the fun, oh the joy. One of the two of you is going to find out that one of the two of you is a selfish brat. Both of you will think the other person is not doing anything at all and sits around all day doing nothing.
When the baby first arrives you might, provided your not too exhausted, look on it with loving eyes. That wont last long. Then you will be up all night, or so it will seem, walking the floor with a crying baby. You will discover that your previous expertise at everything baby and child amounts to nothing and that you know 5/4th about nil. Then you decide it would be "nice" to have another one. About this time you admit to yourself that maybe this baby idea wasn't such a good one after all!
That's not how it need to be. But for many that's how it is. Stories? That is the one you will create. It is not mine.
Children don't come with a manual. We write it is as we go.
Relationship? That also is one that we create between being used as a baby waste control department.
That's the bad bit. Actually, by now most will have gone off to read another thread and decided I am a total idiot who should be let loose near a key board.
How did my wonderful dear wife and I create a wonderful relationship and have children? The second part I have no need to answer. The first part, we made time for each other. We actively looked for ways to please the other. We actively participated in the others interests, even if they did seem boring. We went out to restaurants, still do, no matter how young the children were. We told each other, still do, what an absolutely brilliant partner the other person is. Not to make them feel good, but because they are. We did silly things with each other, even when the children were in the same room. We wanted each other, still do, no matter how tired and cranky we were. We sort to make each other happy no matter that we might be so tired. We told each other, in words and deeds, how we felt about the other person. We overlooked things not done and the mess and the harsh words. Last, we "saw" our partner as the perfect person Christ created them and treated them according.
I have written this in the past tense. But it is still true right now.