There is nothing that can prepare you for becoming a parent. It is life altering and unpredictable. And it’s not just the early days of parenting that are challenging. The really hard parts to navigate are the stuff they leave out of the baby manuals. I am five years into this parenting gig and I’ve learnt that sleepless nights and changing dirty nappies are child’s play. Here are 16 things you really need to know, and it’s the stuff you learn on the job:
1. You will become intimately acquainted with Murphy’s Law. Seasoned parents can virtually predict when Murphy will strike with maddening precision. Your baby who always has a day sleep will refuse to go to bed on the one day of the year you have a hangover. Your child who never gets sick will come down with gastro the night you have a date night with hubby; a date that has been in the calendar for six months….