We always relish in discovering our kids individuality and marvel at how God can combine the same two parents and yet produce drastically different children. But when you think about it, each has a completely different experience of life, even when brought up in the same household. Let me illustrate as I describe life as Child #1 verse life as Child #5.
Life as Child #1: Near constant stimulation and interaction has you rolling over at 5 months, walking before a year, talking like a small adult at age 2.
Life as Child #5: The last time person to talk to you was your 20-month old brother who said ‘baby’ and then made off with your pacifier. You won’t be able to chase him until your about 13 months since you spend most of your awake time strapped into something.
Life as Child #1: Mom takes you to the Stride Rite store at the mall to make sure your feet are properly measured and your newly walking feet are well-cushioned in $65 kicks.
Life as Child #5: Still wearing those $65 Stride Rite shoes after already being worn by Child #1, 2, 3 and 4. At least 1/3 of your newly walking spills can be attributed to the lack of tread remaining on them.
Life as Child #1: The smallest amount of spit up, poop or other yuckyness results in a completely new outfit. You enjoy several fresh outfits per day, most of them completely new.
Life as Child #5: Spit up and small amounts of yellow stain on the edge of onesies no longer motivate an outfit change. You last had a fresh outfit when you were bathed, which was……? And a new outfit? Never.
Life as Child #1:Bath time involves a soapy soak in a baby tub with a rubber ducky to measure the perfect water temperature followed by lotion and “This Little Piggy” serenades, fresh jammies and a comb through the hair, plus lots of snuggles with Mom because you smell so good.
Life as Child #5: Bath time happens when Mom smells your neck and thinks “When did I last bathe you?” and involves her handing you to Daddy during his nightly shower and saying “Here. Wash him.” It is followed by hand-me down jammies with a hold in the foot where you big toe sticks out. Lotion? What is lotion?
Life as Child #1: Based on expert advice, you receive one-on-one time with Mommy each day to learn letters and their sounds and complete language learning games for at least 45 minutes followed by snuggles & storytime each night for simultaneous bonding and brain stimulation. Research shows all of this is quite effectual in creating life long learners and prodigies.
Life as Child #5: Learns through osmosis.
Life as Child #1: A drop pacifier requires it to be boiled for the recommended 5 minutes to ensure it sanitary for future use.
Life as Child #5: As long it hasn’t landed in dog poop or been thrown into the toilet, the pacifier is wiped off and put right back into your mouth.
Life as Child #1: Each moment is documented in photos, lovingly placed in a scrapbook for all of time. It takes a full two page spread to capture the cuteness of you taking a nap. The first year of your life took 3 large scrapbooks to hold.
Life as Child #5: A scrapbook does exist in a box somewhere for you, nicely wrapped in the store’s plastic and piled atop is the few momentos Mom has remembered to salvage. There might just be enough photos of the first year of your life to complete an entire scrapbook, however most of the photos also contain your siblings with you propped up in their arms.
Life as Child #1: The exact dates of the appearance of each new tooth is documented in your baby book.
Life as Child #5: All that denotes the arrival of a tooth is a check mark. Right upper incisor? Check!
Life as Child #1: When you fell and got hurt, Mommy would pick you up, sing a boo-boo song while completing an entire first-aid process on the tiny scratch completed with a kiss.
Life as Child #5: Oh you fell? No blood, no foul. Shake it off.
Life as Child #1: Bedtime consisted of a story followed by rocking and Mom’s sweet voice in your ear as she prayed over you. She laid you in your crib fully outfitted with a breath-through bumper and SIDS-detecting baby monitoring mat. You enter deep sleep to the swooshing of a sound machine.
Life as Child #5: Mom throws you in the crib to chase your 2-year old brother who is running around naked and likely to pee in a corner if not diapered soon. You nod off to the sounds of yelling and crying as your parents work frantically to get your other siblings into bed. You are long asleep before Mommy comes back to kiss your forehead and wish she’d had the time to rock you to sleep.
Life as Child #1: A diaper change only happens on a well-padded, clean changing table. Multiple wipes are used to make sure you are clean and ointment is applied each time to ward of any diaper rash. Only top brand diapers touch your hinny.
Life as Child #5: You don’t even want to recall the crazy places where you’ve had your ointment-less, discount-store-brand diaper changed.
Life as Child #1: Your parents only call you by your given name. No nicknames please.
Life as Child #5: You are often called by the dog’s name.
BUT,
Life as Child #5…
…you are never without a friend to play with.
…you are loved by many.
…you are tough and adaptable and highly practiced in relational skills.
…you are the one considered “spoiled” because Mom & Dad cherish you as the baby.
Thank you to fellow “four and more” Mom friends, Carre, Laura, Tarah and Jessica, who helped with these!!
© 2013 – 2023, Danielle Peters. All rights reserved. Love it? Please share, pin, tweet or email but do not use my work without permission.