Becoming a parent brings new meaning to our lives.
And to common phrases. ✍️
Phrases Hit Different Once You're a Parent...
Read some of our favorites below, with a special focus on spring, because it is the season of blossoming and growth (and pollen, and allergies) and we’re not quite ready to admit it’s full-blown summer just yet.
And check us out on social media where we asked for some of your favorites.
*Our disclaimer - there is no greater love than the love a parent feels for our kids. So we feel comfortable complaining, and you should too! With that in mind, enjoy our list…
6 Phrases That Change with Parenting Babies and Toddlers
“Sleep like a baby” 😴
This one’s a classic.
Really? Like a baby? In fifteen minute spurts, which stop immediately the moment you decide to shower, sit, or eat?
Sleep like a baby means one thing to the “general public,” but to parents? It may just mean- after an hour of rocking and lullabies, or ten fitful minutes and waking up screaming.
We have to take a second to brag, though. Because babyark has gotten a rep for being a car seat that is so comfortable, even the finickiest of babies has stopped to notice. Kids that have complained in every other seat fall happily asleep in ours.
Read some parent reviews on the comfort of babyark here.
“Spring forward” ⏱️
Most people lament losing an extra hour of sleep when we “spring forward.” As parents of young kids we regret this change of routine and schedule, though for many whose babies repel routine, it’s barely noticeable. (Don’t even get us started on the phrase “spring a-head” for anyone who has given birth not via C-section…) 😶
As parents we wonder when they’ll hit the next milestone. Then it happens, and we immediately understand that we were better off before!
We don’t realize how good we have it until they jump on to the next phase. Pregnancy is hard, but it’s easier to care for a fetus in utero than a squirmy baby! Feeling competitive about when your toddler will start, well, toddling? When they’re just a lump, you put them down and know they won’t go anywhere. Then suddenly they’re rolling over, crawling, walking, running. Stop, time, stop!!
“Spring cleaning” 🧽
Spring cleaning? How about every-day cleaning, and the impossibility of it, because it lasts three milliseconds?
Whether your baby is at the phase where his new favorite game is “dump all of this onto the floor” yet or your older toddler leaves her Legos all over the floor when she runs off, parenting involves a lot of organizing only to feel like it was not just a drop in the bucket, more like a drop in the ocean.
A lot of parenting is going through the same motions over again. Whether it’s reading the same book for the 19th time today (kids love and need repetition) or organizing after a messy meal, or simply organizing the same room or stack of toys for the sixth time today. Yes, you miss it when years later your kid is so busy with activities that they barely grab food on their way out the door. But it doesn’t make it less exhausting.
Also, while spring cleaning can mean organizing (and not pausing to wonder whether this particular stained bib sparks joy), having young children requires continuous organization. Babies quickly grow out of clothing, and it’s on to the next size. It’s called closet because you can barely close-it!
“As cute as a button” 🔘
Yes, your baby is cute. But are buttons? Once you become a parent to a newborn, you understand how annoying buttons can be. Trying to wrestle a half-naked, cranky baby into or out of a layer, or 3? Those adorable teeny tiny buttons are not our friends. It’s not a coincidence that we made our car seat covers easy to zip off and on, and machine washable. We understand parents’ love affairs with zippers, and comfort and convenience.
Also less cute? Buttons are a choking hazard. Not to be paranoid, but safety is our thing. So if one of those dreaded buttons pops off mid-change, you can add the hassle of having to find it and toss it before some little one crawls up and inevitably decides to, as babies do, shove it in her mouth.
Check out some of our tips on accident-proofing for new babies here.
“Spring break” 👙
Whereas this once meant vacation, sun, all-inclusive hotels that feature drinks with umbrellas, visits with family… Now perhaps if you’re lucky it means a few days of relief from whatever was bothering the baby before the next growth spurt, tooth, or lingering cold comes to visit. It’s ‘snot a big deal 👃, but it sure ain't as fun as pool parties and ski trips.
“Happy hour” 🍸
We can’t end on such a cynical note, despite our love of humor.
So whereas happy hour once meant mingling at bars, great prices on our favorite drinks, and tasty bites - now happy hour is each and every hour of the day. No matter how tired, dirty, or overwhelmed we are, running on fumes and caffeine or the simple, pure power of love.
There really is nothing like being a parent, and absolutely nothing like holding your child in your arms, and feeling your heart continue to expand.
Phrases and Phases - Seasons of Love
Our kids bring us meaning, and bring new meaning to our words.
The words “Mom,” “Dad,” “Grandpa,” “brother” and all the rest become more familiar and familial, and there’s nothing quite as magic.
So as April baby showers (or March sprinkles) brought us May flowers, we’ll continue to adjust the meanings of our favorite phrases, and redefine child safety. Because it's a story, not a summery (see what we did there?)
Have your own phrases that have taken on new meaning since pregnancy or parenting? Let us know. Contribute yours on our Instagram post or in the comments.
As always, thanks for being part of the babyark family.
