Parents - what do you miss most about being childless?

daisiegg

Birdie85 wrote: »

My baby isn't even here yet (8 weeks left!) but I've already noticed this. People don't ask how I am, just how the baby's getting on. The baby's fine but I'm tired, sore and being beaten constantly by this delightful little creature currently inside me, thanks! MIL suddenly wants to see me all the time and just stares at my bump when I'm with her, it's creepy- I feel like saying 'My face is up here!'

Life doesn't just change when the baby is here, it changes 9 months before that so enjoy having late nights (because pregnancy turns you into a sleep monster incapable of staying up past 10.30! ), drinking your favourite cocktails and eating naughty foods like pate and soft cheese whilst you can! Oh and enjoy wearing your 'thin' clothes whilst they still fit!

A) I am not capable of staying up past 10.30 now and b) I have not had 'thin' clothes since I was about 15 :rotfl: so maybe I am perfectly ready!

The one thing I am NOT ready to give up is drinking (though obviously I will). That will hit the hardest.

As for tonight....sleep has won and the hotel has been cancelled! I am secretly very relieved. Been up since 3am. Hey, practice for having a baby!

onlyroz

I do quite miss my breasts. They weren't much but they at least pointed vaguely in the right direction. Now they're virtually non-existent.

I also miss my Saturday mornings - I think these have been given up to swimming lessons for the next several years. Oh and my early evenings, which are spent learning spellings, times tables, reading all about Biff, Chip and Kipper, and (most recently) drawing Venn diagrams and doing long division.

If you don't know who Biff, Chip and Kipper are then think yourself extremely fortunate.

GreenQueen

Things I miss most are:
- holidays/days out - having to do something for my 8YO, so trips to galleries, grownup theatre are out
- being able to eat the meals we like - still have spicy food sometimes, but not as much as we used to
- being able to sit quietly for five minutes without "mummy, look at this", "can I have a cuddle", etc

GQ

macymoo

Not being interrupted in the bath/loo etc!

stardoman

The only thing I really miss is my lunch break.

This_Year

If you can't sew, learn the basics now. If you're not needed to make dolly clothes, you'll have to sew up the the school uniform *every day* if your child is a rough n tumble sort.

Learn to think on your feet. When you're told at 8am as you're heading to school that a clown costume or a victorian outfit is needed for assembly today...

Nap when you can in the early days. I would get up at stupid o'clock, feed DD and doze in the chair while she dozed too. And wearing a dressing gown does mean you achieved something. You got dressed (ish)

Above all, treasure every moment. Time flies (though it doesn't seem like it) and it will seem like you blinked and your tiny snuggly baby is 5'8" and making a den with sheets draped over chairs in the dining room is just not regarded as being the best thing ever any more.

toffifee

The things I miss at the moment are (my kids are 9 and 11 so not many sleepless nights nowadays):

- having time to read the newspaper on the day it arrives. (I'm currently reading the one from about 2 weeks ago, and every now and again I throw out a big pile of un-read weekend supplements)
- going out for dinner at 8pm instead of 5pm (although my fault really since I'm a stickler for bedtimes)
- that 'end of the day, now I can relax' feeling when you leave work... now that's posponed until they're in bed and I'm just about ready for bed too by then!
- holidays that don't involve Butlins or theme parks. If I were starting from the beginning again, I think I'd have one last grown-up holiday, driving across California (with no 'are we there yet?'s), having the odd cocktail and looking at lovely views and quirky shops. Children aren't generally interested in driving holidays, nice views or shops!

I wouldn't change anything though. They're worth every tiring, happy, frustrating, surprising, funny, sad, amazing minute!

pukkamum

Having a S H I T in peace, I know it may be tmi but oh for the days of reading 2 chapters of a book whilst on the loo.
Instead I have had 12 years on and off of being watched and questioned by a toddler.
Whats that mum?
Wheres your willy mum, is it hiding under your beard?
Eww your pooh smells!

WantToBeSE

Lie ins, being able to pick up my handbag and walk out the door, not having to cook every night, doing what i want when i want with who i want, not being responsible, MONEY (childcare is VERY expensive!), being spontaneous...the list goes on!

neverdespairgirl

onlyroz wrote: »

If you don't know who Biff, Chip and Kipper are then think yourself extremely fortunate.

Couldn't agree more. The extremely tedious non-adventures of the above nearly drive me to distraction.

I have fantasies about them coming to a seriously bloody end.

As to - what do you miss?

Going to the loo on your own. That ceases to be an option for a while after having a baby / toddler / etc