If Parenting was a car journey…

Some liken parenting to a long and winding car journey.  Travelling down the road less travelled and hoping for best.

Navigating naptimes, bedtimes, playdates.  The judgements of other on you journey causing road rage and horn beeping.

But what of the signs that litter the road?  That help you on your way.

What about the road signs of parenting?!

Give Way Sign

We all know that when it comes to a give way sign that it means stop, look, and if someone is coming then you stay put.  The same is true of parenting a toddler.  Look carefully round every corner as you go about every day life because they come flying without warning and if you don’t give way to them, well then you deserve the 2 foot terror barrelling into your knees.

Or as so often happens in my husbands case, a headbutt in the balls.  It’s a wonder we made it to 2 children.

give way sign

Danger

Fairly self explanatory I’d hope.

Particularly useful for overtired children, you know when you finally lose the nap or they REFUSE to nap, or you know your 18 month old just won’t ever sleep ever because HE HATES IT.

hazard sign

No Entry

There is nothing quite like potty training.  My eldest was 3 when we finally managed to train him, now that he is four  he is quite obviously a grown up.

And grown ups don’t need help on the toilet.

Except they do and it’s toxic.  Very toxic.  Once you’ve vacated the area DO NOT RETURN.

no entry sign

No Stopping

Unless you see a leaf.

Or an interesting stone.

Or you know, your feet that are attached to you day in and day out.

no stopping sign

Pedestrians

Look – the little sign man is holding the child’s hand. Without force or having them dragging behind.

Simply holding hands.

Rarely happens without bribery, brute force or lots of tears.  Especially round busy roads when independence appears to want to reign supreme yet your parenting instinct would rather they just stay alive.  You know.  You kind of like them.

pedestrian sign

School

That wonderful being that takes them off your hands.  That do the messy tasks that you don’t want to trash your house for.

That allow them to play with GLITTER.

School, that takes the best of them, of them being good all day, keeping them in check and deposits them home overtired and emotionally worn out.

school sign

Slippery Road

Often the joy in parenting is that you never know what’s going to happen next. The twists and burns.

slippery road sign

Slow

Toddlers when they walk anywhere.

Unless they manage to get out of the death like vice hand holding grip to chase after a cat. Then those kids are fast and put you to shame as you attempt to sprint after them.

And fail.

slow sign

Uneven Road

Because when you think you have it figured out there is always an unexpected bump in the road.

uneven road sign

Out

There is no way out, once you’re in, you’re in for life….

But you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Photo credit: Stock Signs Ltd 

*this is a collaborative post

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2 Comments

  1. January 24, 2017 / 11:30 am

    Haha I like this, some of these had me nodding along! Especially about them being hellishly slow unless they’re legging it away from you 😉
    Nat.x

  2. January 31, 2017 / 11:27 pm

    A lot of familiar stuff here. Especially the potty training.

    If only I could get a booster seat big enough to fit me…

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