It’s no secret that having kids changes life quite a bit. You might desperately try to cling to the remnants of your pre-parenthood self once you step into your new role of being responsible for someone other than yourself. At the same time, there’s a high likelihood that having kids will also make you appreciate things you never thought twice about in the past. If you’ve noticed yourself loving things you never cared about before kids, you’re not alone. Parenthood has a way of making even the strangest things feel special.
Crazy Things You Start Loving After Having Kids
Parenting changes your perspective on the little things. Here are some of the funny, surprising, and even sweet things you might start loving once you have kids.
1. Mondays!
As a stay-at-home mom, the days tend to blend over here. That said, many of my mom friends who work outside the home long for the start of the week after being on 24/7 kid duty. Although I love Mondays because they mean baby gymnastics with my daughter (the cutest thing ever, seriously), I can totally see why this is something you start loving after kids, because the change in parenthood scenery would be a welcome occasion for many.
2. When School Starts
When you decide to take your child to daycare or school, you’ll love the summers but be so grateful when the school year rolls around. (We love our teachers!)
3. Anything That Is a Drive-Thru
Toddler crying on the way to the playground? Thank goodness for mini donut holes. Are you running on three broken hours of sleep over the past three days? Large iced coffee it is. Just need a break from cooking all the meals for all the tiny people? You get the drift. And you don’t even have to get out of your pajamas or do your hair and makeup. You also don’t have to take your kids out of the car, so there is no running around for you. Drive-thrus are the best.
4. When No One Is Touching or Talking To You
Even the most motherhood-loving moms get overstimulated and touched out occasionally. Plus, come on, our minds are constantly in overdrive. Sometimes, there’s nothing more refreshing than the sweet sound of silence. But that can also be dangerous . . . what are they doing? Why is it so quiet?!
5. Being Alone
This one goes hand in hand with #3. We can love being with our babies more than anything and still cherish those sacred moments of solitude, even if it’s to use the restroom or hide away to write the week’s to-do list in peace!
6. Hot Coffee
Hot coffee was great before you had kids, but there is a new appreciation for it after you have little ones. It’s simple, but you know it’s a good day when you make a hot cup of coffee and enjoy it without reheating it several times. And to add to this, enjoying a hot meal while it’s still hot is also pretty great.
7. Grocery Pickup
Another thing you start loving after kids is curbside pickup. Because who has time to interrupt your child’s spontaneous car nap, use half of the available cart space to transport squirmy tiny humans, or map out a master plan to avoid meltdowns over a $9.99 bouncy ball, anyway? Thankful we now have online grocery ordering.
8. Walking in Circles Around the Neighborhood. Again and Again
Baby gets a stroller ride, and you get some fresh air and your steps in. Win-win!
9. Taking a Drive to Clear Your Head
Maybe it’s raining outside, or the weather is way too hot. Getting behind the wheel and listening to something other than the Encanto soundtrack on repeat is an excellent way to refresh your mind.
10. A Rare Two Minutes of Snuggles With Your Beloved Furry Friend
This one might sound a little dramatic if you’re not an animal person. If you are, you know it’s true: Our relationships with our pets change when we have human kids. There’s something special about remembering what it was like when it was just you and Fido!
11. Getting to Call the Shots on Holidays
You have your own family to prioritize now, so if you can’t make it to the larger festivities, nobody can (more realistically, nobody should) blame you.
12. Playground Hopping
There’s something extra magical about the free outdoor fun that’s exhausting for the kids. (Nap time ease, am I right?). Bonus: an opportunity to make mom friends who love playground hopping, too!
13. Falling Asleep by 8 PM . . . Too Crazy?
No, no. Parenting is exhausting. As much fun as our babies are to hang out with from sunup to sundown, mama needs rest (and about 30 solid minutes of browsing social media in peace). For real, though. I used to sneak out of the house to go to parties, and now I sneak out of (kid) parties to go to my house.
14. Or Staying Up Until Midnight Doing Absolutely Nothing
Savoring an entire bowl of ice cream you don’t have to share while watching your new favorite Netflix show is a different level of peace.
15. Animal Sounds Like Cows, Chickens, and Sheep
No, really, though, is there anything more adorable than hearing your young toddler proudly show off their “moos,” “clucks,” and “baaas” for the first time?!
16. Baby Puffs, Chicken Nuggets, and Hot Dogs
These are the lifeline food items of mamas with sticky-fingered toddlers. They keep them distracted long enough for you to take a bite of your food before your little one wants what’s on your plate.
17. Being Asked How You’re Doing Every Now and Then!
Once you have kiddos, everyone asks about the kids. But very rarely do people ask about you, the mama and organizer of your home. It’s nice when someone stops to take the time to check in with you and see how you’re really doing. As you can see, you start loving the little things after you have kids. Even introverts can appreciate feeling seen by others outside of their tiny human circle.
18. A Long, Hot Shower
You just hope you don’t hear phantom baby cries (or real baby cries) so you can enjoy the day’s craziness, warmly washing off you.
19. Connecting With the Doctor’s Office on the First Call In
While needing to see the pediatrician probably isn’t your idea of an ideal family outing, being helped on time when it comes to your children is something to rejoice over. There’s nothing more stressful than playing all-day phone tag when your little one is sick! Or sitting in their waiting room forever waiting for your child to be seen.
20. Participating in Facebook Groups Galore
In the world of social media that exists today, all of the latest research, community, and support you could ever need is at your fingertips. Online mom tribes are a real and amazing thing if you choose to utilize them!
21. And, Perhaps, Many Other Social Platforms!
Monthly milestone posts? Have to share them on Instagram. First birthday party inspiration? Pinterest it is. Love and relationships after having a baby? Sensory activities for all ages? Mom hacks to remove permanent marker on your couch? You’ll find experts aplenty on TikTok. (Okay, well, not experts exactly, but you get the point).
22. Smiling at Photos of Your Kiddos After Tucking Them In
You long for quiet nights but miss them as soon as they’re five feet across the hallway. And you can’t help but smile, knowing that tiny human is yours.
And last but certainly not least, there’s one more thing you might love more than anything else after you have kids:
23. Soaking Up All the Crazy Little Moments in All the Crazy Things
Parenting is a wild ride. Every twist and turn is over before you know it, and that’s a bittersweet realization. The messy, silly, hard, and joyful moments are all loved and accepted because you know you’ll look back one day and wonder where they went!
Parenthood is full of surprises, including the quirky things you end up loving along the way. From drive-thrus to bedtime photos, it’s these small joys that make the journey even sweeter. No matter how crazy it gets, these little moments are the ones you’ll cherish most.
