If You Do Not Have A Child, You Do Not Understand...

We have come to realize, time and time again, that the people in our lives who do not have a child simply do not get it.  This includes parents and grandparents who no longer have children living in their home.  It as if once a child moves out of a home, the parent forgets all they went through in raising that child. 

Finding time to have friends and family come over, within our son's fairly structured schedule, is not as easy as you would think.  There are certain times of the day when your child naps.  There are certain times of the day when you know they are going to be tired and difficult to deal with.  They have activities, meals, and all sorts of things.  But most importantly, at least for us, the day revolves around our son's nap and sleep schedule.  

We find the best time to have people over is around meal time.  Our son is quite happy to sit and eat with us (though it's not always such a pleasant dining experience for us) and we can also use that time to talk with friends and family.  But even the dining experience gets interrupted for various reasons.  So if we want to have a meal with adults that is uninterrupted, it has to be a dinner after our son is in bed.  Then we can relax a bit.  (Whether it is relaxation or pure exhaustion can be debated).  

Even when we  have friends or family come over during these "best times," they still miss the point.  They want to be center of attention which is simply not possible when you have a child.  You are either feeding them, bathing them, chasing them around or somehow trying to entertain your child.  They do not understand the need for quiet when our son is in bed.  They do not understand why we are tired.  They do not understand why we do not just sit him down in front of the television and walk away.  If you are not a parent, you simply do not understand...