Saturdays

Here’s a strange thing to ponder:

When the world looks at weekends, what do they see?
No work, relaxation, freedom, time to drink, a chance to shake off the week they’ve just had be it a celebration of a good week, or thankfulness it’s over.

Now, I’m not prepared to act like some wise old sage who has the experience of a lifetime. I only have 25 years under my belt. But what I am going to share is how lifestyle choices can completely mold you from one person to another.

I’m 25, and married with a 1 year old.

The privilege of the Saturday lie in was rescheduled when I worked in KFC since I would always be working. In those days I was not married and was in college 4 days a week so Monday morning became my only long lie.

When you reach the stage of life where baby #1 is fast approaching, those are the last days of the long lie.

Then… Labour happens. Birth happens. Baby time happens. Extreme sleep deprivation happens. Eventually what will from here on be known as normality happens, but whatever sleep pattern you once had pre-parenthood has left you for a younger person with more freedom and flexibility.

This isn’t all about sleep though. Saturdays have now changed to the spare folder where the unfinished tasks of the week prior get lumped, hopefully with as little overspill to Sunday as possible.

This is also not just about the negative side to parenting and growing up. I’m talking purely as a rather young Dad who has made certain observations about his own change in lifestyle. It helps to empathise with other parents during a busy weekend.

I suppose what I want my peers to realise is that whether you become a parent intentionally or by unexpected turn; your life will flip.

Anything in your life that’s not the child his/herself does not have to change in itself, but your perspective and league of priorities will shift down as their needs and routine must be met before yours.

This is the holy grail. Once you grasp that last part, you will understand why your parent friends are so hesitant/lukewarm about that night out you’re asking them to that you consider as a must. Or why they get more stressed than they ied to if they’re kept back at work or if their shift pattern is messed up. What you don’t see are the moments in their life when they have so much joy and love for their little one that only a parent can explain.

But such is life and growing up.
I heard a rumour recently that fatherhood suggests that I have grown up and am less of a mixed up guy in his mid 20s…

…Wrong!

I’m sure I’ll know everything soon enough (!)

Until the next time…