10 Comments

All of this so resonates I'm a lifelong insomniac with a side order of the dark side - my MH actually improved with perpetual disturbed sleep for years but I had to have 2 kids 18 months apart to properly make it work - have loads of friends and relations who thought I was mad but also loads of friends with loads of kids who say the same - my Grannie had 5 in 7 years and a whole squad of farm hands and animals to keep organised and fed and she was legendary for being the goto person with time for everyone - by the time I remember she was the whole village's Grannie and I had a massive network to play with when I stayed with her and all their parents looked out for her and my Grandpa when I wasn't - she could give Made in Korea's boss woman a run for her money though but equally a right flea in her ear if she'd crossed her

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I really loved this! I think there’s so much in it, and feel similar (albeit to a mucccccch lesser extent) with my puppy.

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Sep 9·edited Sep 9Author

I think it's much the same with puppies! I think whether it's a kid or a dog, it's about placing limitations in your life which require things of you and that being ironically liberating

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Ooh so interesting. Would like to have kids but am quite anxious about the loss of independence / potential increase in my own anxiety which I already struggle with so this is reassuring thank you!

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Great piece, loved it xx

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I seriously could have written this. Being a parent has calmed me down from my manic state of over-producing. I always felt on edge, like I could be doing more. With less freedom, time, money and sleep I finally feel productive enough. I get to the end of every day and I'm like - you did good! That'll do pig.

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Love the honesty in your writing ✍️

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Really relatable and beautifully put. I found it exhausting parenting a little kid in lockdown and working. But then I realised it had forced me to look after myself, to get the food and cook the meals, clean the house and go for walks and - as you say - keep moving. There might not have been time for me to do things like take up long baths and new hobbies or write a book, all that fancy self care. But I had covered the basics most of the time, and I'm not sure I would have done that for my own benefit, without kids in the mix.

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Always love these updates. Agree with many of your points in this one (9 mo in)

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