10 things I have learned after having kids

After having 3 kids, I feel like I am SUPER MOM!  I have learned to let go of a lot of things and dedicate my time to my kids. These are the years with them we cherish the most and I don’t want to have any regrets.  The other day I was thinking to myself and I came to the realization that after having my children, I am able to manage my life and time in ways I never knew I could.  Take a look at what I mean.

1. I LOVE taking long, hot showers. Now being a mom, I have learned to take showers entirely too quickly! Before having kids, I could not get ready in less than 30 minutes, but post-kids I can get ready in 10 minutes.

2. I could never talk on the phone and do things around the house.  But after  children I am a PRO! I can do everything one-handed and at times I feel like I can multi-task with my eyes closed.

3. Before having kids, I needed my 8 hours of sleep to function, but now I can do it with only 5.

4. Prior to having kids, working from home required no outside distractions. Now with my infant, I can nurse, type and do my work with full concentration!

5. In my years before children, I had to have my meals nice and hot.  After being a mom of 3, any temperature will do.  Nowadays, if I scarf a meal down without having a child cry or shouting demands, I consider it a success.

6. Going to the grocery store or mall was done with such ease and I was able to run errands in 30-45 minutes. Between taking the kids in and out of the car, diaper changing and potty breaks, to nursing and ” I AM HUNGRY” screams, it now takes 2-3 hours.

7. Going out to dinner was so easy and quick. Now with children, it’s a process.  You have to feed them, control tantrums and of course the multiple potty breaks.

8. I have become a pro at nursing and doing practically anything and everything. I can nurse and eat my dinner at the same time.  Who would have ever thought that would be possible?  Not me.  You have to do what you can, though.  You are left with no choice when you are starving (which is usually all the time when nursing!).

9. These days, I am able to do 3-4 loads of laundry in 1 day and have it all folded and put away by the end of the day!  In my pre-kid years, I would only knock out 1-2 loads of laundry a day and I would never have had the motivation to fold and put them it away.  After having kids you realize that 24 hours in a day is not enough and you don’t want to leave things unfinished because every minute counts.

10. With children, I have even managed to be on a Chai Mommas conference call and tend to their needs all at the same time.  Before, I was never able to do that. And I needed to be in a quiet area or my office to take a call.