Mary Lynn Holden
Not in a million years did it cross my mind that I would live my life the way I do at the moment, but there’s absolutely nothing I’d change about it. Over the years, I’ve changed a few careers and lived a very exciting and unpredictable life, but eventually chose to be settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I fell in love with not only the city but the man of my dreams too.
Even though I gave a few careers a try, I decided that corporate jobs aren’t exactly my thing. Being self-employed isn’t all fun and games, to be fair, but it beats every single office job I’ve had in my life, by far. Even though it can be a struggle at times, it has left me with enough time to focus on what’s most important for me – my family.
Having kids turned my life upside down and has made me into a whole new person. To be honest, I was a bit skeptic when people would say that life as a parent can’t be compared to anything you ever experienced, but it’s true. Now my days are full of puzzles, Super Simple Songs, and pretend play, and I love every second.
Because my partner has kids from his previous relationship too, our home is a hectic environment where toddlers, preschoolers, and middle-schoolers annoy the living daylights out of their teenage stepbrothers and sisters and drive their parents mad. It also means we can rely on our eldest ones when we need a helping hand (which happens on regular intervals) and we love them to bits for it.
People like to point out how hard parenting is, but what they don’t tell you is how rewarding it can be at the same time. (Un)fortunately, both things are something you have to find out on your own. Since reading about other people’s experiences has helped me tremendously on my journey as a parent, I decided to do my part and share some of the things I learned with the world as well.
I sincerely hope that you find my two cents as helpful as I’ve found other peoples’ and I wish you luck on your journey through the land of toys and tantrums.