Is parenting easier or harder than you though it would be?

I knew it would be difficult. But there are times when I say ';I REALLY never expected this!';





Some parts are easier than I first thought and other parts are harder than I originally believed. But I adjust and find ways to make it work and learn along the way.





Hopefully the teen years are not the kind of battle I experienced growing up. I was a very strong willed teenager...... am I doomed to have strong willed teens too? :)





Good thing God is there and can give me peace of mind and guidance. I don't know what I'd do without Him (seriously).Is parenting easier or harder than you though it would be?
both. the routine, day-to-day parts of it were harder than i expected before having kids, but has become easier than i feared in that first year or two of seeing what i had gotten myself into.





but the overall experience of it is harder, not in terms of the packing of lunchboxes and fixing of booboos and finding of lost socks, but in terms of taking responsibility for another person's existence.Is parenting easier or harder than you though it would be?
As far as bonding with them, taking care of their basic needs, being actively involved in their schooling I think it's easier.





When I think ahead (which I rarely do) about the teenage years and their adulthood when I'll have lost any control I have been able to keep I think it will be much harder. I think a lot of people think about parenting and imagine babies, toddlers, little league baseball whatever. Once a parent always a parent. I'm always going to have to make decisions based on my kids choices in life. Even when they're adults. That will be much more difficult for me I think.
So much harder. No one can prepare you for how enmeshed in another person's life you become. I mean, I love my parents and husband and other people, and I care about what happens in their lives. But ultimately they are all adults and can take care of themselves. When you have a child, you are responsible for every. little. detail. of their lives. With babies, you are the one one who makes sure they eat and poop and if they have a tummy ache or need a bath..... As your kids get older, you are responsible for teaching them character development, how to be responsible citizens of the world, who to trust and how to know when not to trust someone. You make sure their health and educational needs are met. You hope that you have raised them in such a way that they are able to go out in the world and lead happy, productive lives.





I think being a parents is more work than anyone can imagine without actually doing it.
Neither; it has it's good days and bad ones. Right now we're going through the transition from diapers to potty training and it's pretty tough (especially when your child pees right in front of the toilet and then says mommy i peed lol). I'm just getting used to the idea of having two, so juggling them is pretty okay. So far I've had about 2 tough days but it won't break me. I'll just say parenting is rewarding adventure.
So much easier. I read a lot of books that had women saying how they were always tired and never got to sleep and they lost themselves and never took a break. They never got help and felt overwhelmed. I was afraid that was motherhood. It was inevitable. Lol. It's really pretty cake. Sure it has it's problems but all in all it's pretty easy to do if you just flow and don't force. If I forced my son to eat solids at six months and forced him to sleep in his crib and obsessed about his development all the time sure it would be hard. I'm very laid back and it's not hard to be a parent if you pay attention to your child and your instincts. As he gets older I'm sure there will be new challenges but I don't see it suddenly becoming a really hard thing just to be his mom.
A little of both if that makes sense. I definitely wasn't prepared for the endless amounts of vomit and poop. The only experience I had with a baby was my niece, and she was a child who rarely ever got sick. I think I saw her throw up like once. My daughter has severe reflux and asthma, and I think she's thrown up closer to a million times! My niece is just about as 'normal'; and you can get, and my daughter is far from that...she has alot of health issues and developmental issues. As for it being easier, I really feared I wouldn't feel like a mom, and I wouldn't be a very good one. But I was definitely wrong!
for me they were given to me, no one at a time. i went from none to 7 at once in 6 months. now that we have adopted 4 i have to say its harder than i thought. trying to keep them healthy, safe, teaching them about life, discipline, loving them so much, worrying all the time, i can go on and on. and this is forever. BUT i would never trade it for the world.
About the same with me, sometimes easier sometimes harder, depending on what kind of day we are all having honestly!


I've been helping to raise kids since i was about 11 years old though, so I kind of had a big taste of it before I was even a parent!
well it depends, I have a child with autism wihch I never dreamt Id have a child with needs, it has been harder at times with him on so many levels but compared to my daughter getting ready to turn 4 hes a breeze and she doesnt have autism,lol
I'd say easier, so far, but my son is only 8 1/2 months old. Not that it doesn't have its challenges, but I knew nothing about babies when I had him and everything felt and came very naturally.
it was so easy - before i had kids. i never even imagined some of the stuff that i do now. (my toilet question) so much easier in my mind than in practice.
Depends on the day...Today I'd say yes but yesterday I'd have said no... it also depends on the time of day as well...
Both :-)





It's definitely more interesting %26amp; fascinating than I thought it would be.
It is the hardest thing I have ever done but in the same token: It is the most rewarding thing I ever done as well.
Easier. I thought it would be so difficult, but I love it and things seem to be going smoothly so far.
Well my baby is only 7 months and so far it has been easier but I have a feeling it will soon be harder.
About the same.


though I never thought Id be taking care of my brothers as well as my own.
In some respects it is harder than I though,but hey what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right...
Easier It just sorta happens.
Some days it's easy some days it's hard. It all depends on what day you catch me on:)
About the same it is not hard until they start talking back.
I never really thought the whole thing through prior hand.:)