Parents Share Profound Changes Since Welcoming Their Child — Prepare to Be Astonished by the Insights

A recent takeover initiated by parents has sparked a digital revolution of heartfelt revelations. As mothers and fathers from diverse backgrounds and experiences converged online, they embarked on a mission to share the profound transformations that parenthood brought to them. The virtual space became a canvas for these narratives, allowing the unfiltered voices of parents to resonate and echo the untold stories of sacrifice, joy, and resilience.

• “Becoming a parent means transitioning from the child in someone else’s family to the adult in your own. Many people who benefitted from being the authority in that previous family didn’t do so well with me having priorities that didn’t revolve around their needs. It’s hard going from Mom/Dad/Aunt/Uncle to a secondary character in someone’s new family (Grandparent, Great-Aunt/Uncle).” ladyclubs / Reddit
• “How much I would love babies, and not just mine. I genuinely cry at the thought of babies not being loved.” CakesNGames90 / Reddit
• “I feel like I joined this very secret organization of mothers. Like Illuminati, but for moms. A simple ‘How are you?’ from another mother is filled with so much more than just politeness. That ‘How are you?’ is more like, ‘Has your birthing trauma already eased up on you? Have you slept at all last week? Have you managed to eat? Is your husband any help? Is the baby colicky? Have you healed already? Do you have childcare solutions?’
  And also, ‘I know. I know. I know, and I am so sorry. But also, congratulations’. We all share the secret of motherhood, the good and the bad.” akrolina / Reddit

• “What changed for me was empathy towards other parents, especially with crying, fussing children in public places. I used to be annoyed and think, man, they need to get their kid under control. Now I’m like, totally opposite spectrum where I empathize with them and wish I could help them.” _emmvee / Reddit
• “One thing that doesn’t really get talked about a lot is that now weekends and holidays aren’t relaxing. There is no ‘sleeping in’ or getting around to it this weekend ‘when I have the time.’ There is no extra time.
  When the baby is at daycare, I’m at work. On the weekend, we have to try to figure out how to take care of stuff around the house while working around a baby’s schedule. Knowing that at any minute, things could derail. Only one of us can do something at a time, so only half of the house chores get done.” xdonutx / Reddit
• “My relationship with my in-laws changed basically overnight. I still cannot explain the switch that flipped. Logically, I knew it was on me and that it was something I needed to work through. We had such a great relationship for YEARS before and during my pregnancy.
  They came and rented a house for a month when my son was born to help us. And they did help so, so much. I just could not take advice from them and basically anything my MIL suggested for probably over a year drove me nuts. We’re good now that my son is 2.5, but it was really uncomfortable for me for a while and hard for my husband to be in the middle.” _et_tu_brute_ / Reddit

• “I see my mom in a different light. We were not that close prior to me having a baby, and I even went in low contact for a while. And, man, once I had my daughter and realized how much that would have hurt... she had a high-stress job and was often short and impatient with us as kids, but now, seeing her with my daughter, she is an amazing grandmother, and it has really healed our relationship. I have so much empathy now for what she went through as a working mom.” Realistic_Elevator83 / Reddit
• “I was surprised how much I’m struggling with making a decision about work now. I never thought I’d be the person to say I don’t want to return full-time, but I absolutely can not imagine working full-time right now. I’m hoping my job lets me go part-time, otherwise, I’m resigning and getting a small pt job somewhere else, whatever that looks like.” loandlye / Reddit

• “My in-laws would try to make my baby their own. It’s like my MIL forgets how young my baby is and wants to offer juice or water to him if he grunts for more than 5 minutes (he’s just now 3 months old). They are also appalled that I don’t pack and fix a bunch of bottles and all of the baby stuff every time we go over there for a few hours like he really lives there, and we’re just borrowing him.
  When we get back from going out of town and go to their house, she’ll say, ‘Welcome back to YOUR house.’ Also, they want to see him. Every. Day. Not come over to our house, though, and hold him while I cook or clean, but I get stuff together by myself or with my husband and drag him over.” catyp123 / Reddit
• “Losing all sense of my identity. I knew that people go through it. I even told my husband I was worried I’d only be labeled as ‘mom.’ And not as someone with my own identity and feelings.” elizaangelicapeggy / Reddit

As we reflect on the revelations made by these parents, we are reminded that parenthood is a universal experience that unites us all. With its vast reach, the internet has become a medium for empathy, understanding, and celebration of the diverse paths that lead to parenthood. The takeover may be virtual, but the impact is undeniably real, leaving an indelible mark on the digital landscape and, more importantly, in the collective consciousness of all who witness these powerful stories.