Updating a piece I did on the 5 Things you need to do before having your first baby for you DINKs (Dual Income No Kids) out there. DINKs are people who are childless or child free and have two incomes and all the time and money they earn to spend on themselves. For the DINKs that want to have children, you will need to know what’s in store.
Recently, I’ve come in contact with and read stories about people who have children and seemingly were unaware or unprepared for how much having children disrupts and alters their way of life.
So, I assembled a list of TEN things you will have to give up when you have kids.
Some of these are well known but because you never know what others’ know, here is a list:
- Sleep –
From the day you bring home a tiny person who doesn’t know of, neither respects
the rule that says night is for sleeping, then you know you’re screwed. - White or
light colored carpet or furniture – Unless you don’t mind it ending up a
new shade of tie-dye by the time junior learns how to eat with his fingers or little
Esmeralda grows a fondness for crayons, sell, trade in or give away that post-modern fancy lily white Ethan Allen gallery sofa set you got when you purchased your first condo. - Low
threshold of Patience – The 5th time your preschooler melts down
in the middle of the grocery store crying for candy and all eyes turn on you, you’ll realize you are
more patient than you ever thought - Dignity –
Because one of these days you may have to insert a tiny peen into an empty water bottle and collect pee
from your potty -trained son when a bathroom isn’t available. - A clean
car – Cheerios, toy cars, crumbs…it will be a smorgasbord of random pieces
of crap in every crevice, nook and cranny of your minivan. Be forewarned and fire armed with a mini-vac. - Weekends –
Sleeping in? What’s that? In between little League games, dance recitals and
cries for breakfast, there’s no chance in heck you’ll be able to sleep til noon
on a Saturday any longer. - Last
minute Get-Away fares –Unless you have a live in nanny, then… say goodbye
to those $100 weekend deals to Arizona
you spotted on Expedia.com. - Arrogance – No more looking down on that woman
with no make-up on, wearing pajama bottoms and a head scarf at the late-night pharmacy counter when that woman is YOU getting cough medicine for a sick kid. - A day
without bending over – To pick up toys, de-clutter a messy kids’ room, a
tantrum-throwing kid or a crawling baby going out of bounds. - A piece of your heart that will forever hold
love, affection, adoration and the interest of your little one or ones forever.
Now you know for sure And knowing is half the battle!