Dudish Diaries: 5 Things I've learned about being a Parent

Hudson Isaiah Dudish turned 5 last Monday, and it's gotten me thinking about the fact that I've been a Mommy for 5 years. The past 5 years really have flown by and I am so thankful that I get to be Hudson's Mommy. In no particular order, these are some things I've learned about being a parent...

1. You have to pick your battles. Sometimes, you just have to let little things go...like wearing socks with croc shoes, which looks ridiculous! Now, I'm no fashion diva, but I want my kids to look decent and NOT ridiculous. However, the crocs with socks is a battle that if pushed to it, I just let slide. I think part of the battle picking is to have a good radar of where your child's head is at the time. You know, sometimes you can easily persuade a child to do what you want and other's it would be a fight...that's when I choose not to fight over silly things.

2. What works for one child might not work for another. I'm not saying that I parent my children totally differently, but a look can break Walker's heart, while not so much for Hudson. It's part of the parenting to find out what works best for each child and try to parent them in that way.

3. Listen to advice from other people...and do what works best for your own family. In five years, I have heard all kinds of different advice, from how to sleep train your infant to how to nurse them, to when they should start eating, etc, etc, etc. What works for one family just might not fit into your lifestyle, personality and just how you want to do things. So, pick and choose the advice you want to take from others or even baby help books.

4. The person who coined the phrase "terrible two's" had apparently not met a three year old. Seriously...the three's are much harder in our family than two's. Period.

5. It is the hardest job I've ever had, and positively the most rewarding. You surely have to be super flexible and willing to change your plans at the drop of a hat (at least that's how it goes over here). There is no way I could parent alone, and I am so thankful for all the help of Tony Dudish. There is also no way I would even know where to begin being a parent if I didn't have the Bible and a direct line to talk to God...for the times when I'm about to go insane as well as the times when I am bubbling over and oozing out with all the love and gratefulness that I get to parent these little ones God has entrusted in my care.