People often complain that modern parents are overly negative. Unlike our mythical pioneer predecessors who birthed in fields while churning butter and washing clothes in buckets, we like to jaw about sleep deprivation and post-partum depression while sipping lattes and driving around in air conditioned cars. We also love to describe (in gory detail) good reasons not to have kids, the deceptive pre-kid fantasies that lure us into making babies, and the frequent problems associated with parenting young children. Why all this fuss over something that has been going on since time immemorial? Are we just wimpy pessimists so wrapped up in our own narcissism that we can't make time for a wee stinky person? Worse still, are we so busy "being real" about our struggles we're missing all the wonderful things about raising kids?
Our generation came of age during Watergate and skyrocketing divorce rates. To say we're somewhat suspicious of holly lolly happiness is probably an understatement. But to dismiss our cynicism as indicative of a true lack of joy is also a mistake.
Much of what is written (here at Babble for example) assumes readers can tell the difference between silliness and real commentary about the deep existential problems of parenting. Do we sometimes err on the side of covering the gritty underbelly of raising kids? Probably. But is there some real value in these discussions? Absolutely.
Our particular generation's approach to describing parenting is more a reaction against ninny saccharine "raising children is the most amazing joy you'll ever feel. EVER!" than an indication that we can only describe the parenting experience as the glass half empty.
Most of us, underneath our suspicion and sleep deprivation are consistently amazed at our capacity to love (see? cue muzak) and work hard and sacrifice for our children. My daughter often tells me she loves me "bigger than the world" and honestly I couldn't describe my feelings any better.
