My son had his first birthday yesterday.  I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown!  I’ve learned a lot about parenting, about children, about faith, and about myself.

Anne Jackson, at a breakout session at the recent Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, said that it’s dangerous to blog about difficulties that you’re in the middle of.  It’s good to be open and honest about your struggles, but she wisely pointed out that it’s better to write about issues which you’re already having victory over.  I agree with this.  Which is why it makes it so dangerous for me to write on parenting…I’m right in the middle of it!

So, knowing that it’s dangerous for me to write about parenting, I’ll limit it to this first year:

9 Truths I’ve learned through my first year of parenting:

• My wife works much harder than I do.  She deserves a raise!
• I’ve learned to love in a way I never thought possible.  For the record, my love for Laura, my wife, does not compare with my love for Rex, our son…it’s just different.
• Rex looks up to me.  This is quite humbling…and reminds me of the great responsibility I have as his dad.
• Quality time is not superior to quantity time.  It’s in the quantity time that I find quality time.
• I have to be much more intentional at planning date nights for my wife and me.  For the record, I still have lots of work to do in that area.
• I still really have no idea what I’m doing in the area of parenting…but I’m not alone in my cluelessness.
• I understand God’s love for me in a new way.
• I’ve learned to quit saying, “I can’t wait until Rex…” and “If only he would start…” and start saying things like, “I love how Rex…,” and really value each moment and each stage in his life that God gives us.
• I’ve learned not to ask other people, “Is your child doing _____ now?”  The implicit (though sometimes it’s made explicit, too) follow up is, “Because when my child was that age, they were already doing that…and your child must be much slower than mine.”  Proverbs 18:21 rightly tells us, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”

I left my list at 9 so that you could add number 10.

What did you learn/are still learning from your first year of parenting?

For a list of my other parenting posts, click HERE.

Related posts:

1. One year of being a parent
2. We're having a son!
3. Forward thinking parenting
4. Chuck Swindoll, 50 years of ministry
5. 5 years!