Worry. How much do you do it? How much is too much? Can you ever get the worry level right as a parent? I’m interested to know the answer, you see, because I just can’t stop. And from what I see in the newer blogs I read, I am not the only one. Every day the news confirms to us how fragile our children are, and with other people’s suffering comes the “What if?” that would see us bolting the doors and keeping our children wrapped in their duvets all day, were we not too worried they would suffer with asthma and vitamin D deficiency!
Sometimes things get easier. You think you’ve got it all sewn up, you even dare to vocalise the fact, whispering “things seem to be going better now, I think we’ve cracked the parenting lark.” Fatal mistake: no sooner has it left your lips than your child chucks you a curve ball and you find yourself right back in the ‘how on earth do I cope with this?’ category. Then there are illnesses. And vaccinations; do we go for it and risk complications, or do we not, and risk the widespread disgust and suspicion of our contemporaries?
You think it might get easier as they grow, when the clumsy feet stop tripping and they can handle themselves sufficiently to go to school. Not so: then you have to worry about bullying, anxiety, and learning difficulties. How do they cope when someone calls them a nerd?
Don’t even get me started on teenagers! Teenaged girls are bound to see me dashing off prescription after prescription of anti-anxiety medication, aren’t they? And they’re going to stay up much later, so when will I ever be able to manage my frustrations and arguments with my partner? Will I have to resort to sending him email?
And when I’m not worrying, my husband is demanding detailed medical answers from my not very medical brain. As BubbaBlue posts, why do men… think mothers know everything? GG has a headache; “what’s that a sign of?” I am quizzed. The Bug has a pain in his hip; “How serious is that?” comes the question. “Erm, well I think he is probably going to need a wheelchair, and her head is likely to explode if we don’t get the Calpol in immediately” is often my answer – and he momentarily believes me, pacified that I know what I’m doing.
But I don’t. I don’t have a flippin’ clue! I’m just muddling through, hoping to get most of it right, and not lose anyone along the way. Aren’t we all?
About Helen Wills
Helen Wills is a mum of 2 children in primary school and blogs at Actually Mummy on parenting issues, school, travel, and life according to the kids. Since starting her blog in 2011, Helen has won 2 national awards, and puts a lot of her success down to the amazing online community of bloggers at BritMums. As her children grow older, her writing is increasingly influenced by their opinions, and her blog reflects this drive to get the most out of family life. Helen works from home in copywriting and social media. She is on Twitter @actuallymummy.
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slightlysuburbandad
Tuesday 3rd of April 2012
Thanks for including me too :-)
Nice to see some completely new blogs to me on there as well as a couple of my regular tweeps.
Mum2BabyInsomniac
Tuesday 3rd of April 2012
I used to worry a lot before becoming a mum but now it is out of control! There is just so much to worry about! Thank you for including me :) x