Keeley’s March Challenge #21
Did Becoming a Parent Change Me?
Minutes after my first son was born, I was sitting in the hospital room holding him in my arms.
Then he opened his eyes and looked at me.
That’s when I felt a tremendous sense of responsibility.
Earlier this month, he turned 18.
When my second son was born about a year later, my sense of responsibility did not feel like it had doubled, which was a relief.
I’m not saying it was a case of, “Yeah, another one. Whatever.”
But I was already a parent by then. The change from not being a parent to being a parent had already taken place.
Having lost my dad when I was 22, I hoped my children would not lose their parents until they were much older. Tragically, however, their mum died when they were 7 and 8.
Given that my late wife and I were nearly 37 and 38 when our children were born, perhaps waiting so long to have children was not the best way to alleviate that worry.
My children have had a massive impact on my life. Everything changed from the moment they were born, and they became the main focus.