Comments on: Why We’re Writing about Freak Outs and Sleep

By: Kilted Eric (otherwise known as Pa Pa)

Kilted Eric (otherwise known as Pa Pa) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:15:32 +0000

You wrote what I feel. There are days I just love going to work to get away from my little goober. There are also days I would rather be late than miss one more moment with him.

You honesty makes me feel like I am doing a good job of being a Dad, that I am not the only one feeling those ways.

By: Geof F. Morris

Geof F. Morris — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:38:28 +0000

I have no qualms with these posts. Your kids matter a lot to you, and y’all matter a lot to me. So I wanna hear about it.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:31:05 +0000

Stephen and Misty, I love hearing ALL about Eli and Liza. Your “up front” manner of sharing is so refreshing. Though I don’t have children, I know that new parents could glean much from what you reveal here.

By: jeanetta

jeanetta — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:03:04 +0000

hell i hate my kids on a regular basis. and it gets so much easier to not want to be around them once they start talking and smarting off. parenting is a love hate relationship. just like you have with any other person that might bug the crap out of you on a regular basis. excise of for being human and having natural human reactions to situations that become beyond out level of tolerance. i am such a remove myself from the situation type person. or a put the situation in a room by itself while i gather myself. if you haven’t tried to raise kids you shouldn’t even comment on why parents feel so frustrated sometimes they don’t know which way is up.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:14:30 +0000

I like your up front information sharing. I think it’s healthy.

People can’t understand what I mean when I say that I had to put the kid in her room for her own protection, or they laugh it off, perhaps because it’s easier to think of it as a joke.

But it isn’t. We all reach that snapping point where just *one* more second and we’ll do something we regret.

I used to wonder how someone could end up shaking their baby to death. Now I understand.

I still wonder how someone crosses the line I’ve been at and actually snaps, and doesn’t realize how they got there - but I certainly understand how they get so frustrated that they get to that point.

And Ivy is, by any measure you can dream up, an easy child to rear. Hopefully the upcoming one is too.

Kudo’s to you guys for sharing.

By: Joyous

Joyous — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:57:59 +0000

I really appreciate these posts; it’s good information for me, and helps me feel a little less scared.

By: Limax

Limax — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:53:30 +0000

Yeah… raising kids is not easy. We still have our daily battles and the other health issues that go with it. The first few years were a real struggle for us with numerous hospital trips. And yes… we did our share of hiding as well.

I remember recently being at the grocery store and hearing a very cranky baby. Oh man… I really wanted to reach out to the parents and give them a hug having been there before. When things like that happen, you just want to make yourself invisible.

By: duchess

duchess — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:01:36 +0000

When I read about the Freak Out, I had flashbacks. And then I thought, wow. He’s actually admitting this out loud? I am definitely in the hiding-things camp, to the point where I watch what I say with new parents because I don’t want them to think I was a bad person! It’s hard to be honest and upfront, so kudos to you.

By the way, I was pretty bitter when I read Operating Instructions and realized it wasn’t that How To Perfectly Raise A Baby manual I was looking for!