One of the things that surprised me the most about being a parent is how frightened I am, all the time. It was one of the hardest adjustments, one of the things that changed the texture of my life forever. I wasn’t sleepless nights or a lack of freedom. It wasn’t keeping a tiny life fed and warm that turned my world upside down, not really.
It was fear.
People will tell you that a parent’s love is overwhelming. But nothing prepares you for it. And nothing prepares you for the consequences of that intense feeling. Of course, as well as fear, children have brought more joy, more love and more contentment that I could ever imagine. Parenthood is a life-long, bittersweet agony. Heartache and Joy in equal measure. Life is richer. Life is infinitely more terrifying.
It is the reason exhausted new mums stay awake, listening to the sounds of breathing, why I check the car seat straps repeatedly. It is why I checked on my son every hour last night, after he bumped his head a few hours earlier.
Love and fear go hand-in-hand. The more you love, the more you fear to lose.
Often, the internet does not make life as parent easier, especially a naturally anxious one, like me. There is Doctor Google, for a start – ready and waiting to diagnose the most terrible diseases. There are viral videos, like the one a toddler getting trapped under a dresser, shared on Facebook recently. In that instance, thank goodness, it ended well. But the internet shows us the horrors of the world daily – at the touch of a screen, as easy as a thought.
Of course, the internet is a great wealth of information too. It can show me the correct way to fit a car seat or how to secure furniture securely. When my son developed a rash a few weeks ago, Doctor Google was correct when it suggested scarlet fever. This meant he was on the correct antibiotics within a few hours. Like parenting, the internet is a double-edged sword. A balance must be found between love and fear, between the power of knowledge, and its abuse.
Furniture Safety
Recently, I took part in a project to help us anxious parents feel that we are keeping those precious little ones safer. Room to Grow, who are expert’s on children’s furniture, were testing out brackets to keep furniture upright and stop it from tipping – a must have if you have an active toddler and something all parents should be aware of. Our brackets were easy to install and kept Littlest bookshelf and dresser very secure. I not get them to budge, even using all of my strength. As she will be moving into a toddler bed soon, it is so important that her room is as safe as it can be. We tried out the Mommy’s Helper Furniture bracket kit:
In addition, you can read all about the Room to Grow’s findings and the importance of toddler room and furniture safety here.
In the meantime, the fact that Littlest’s room now has secure furniture means there is one less thing to keep me awake at night. And as an anxious parent, that peace of mind is priceless.
*This is a collaborative post. We were sent the safety brackets free of charge, in order to take part in the furniture safety survey*
This is something that’s always worried me. These kits look great x