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That's true of most first-time moms, but not me. I'm the 2nd of 6 kids and as the oldest female child, I was often put in charge of my 4 younger siblings (which included a set of identical twin boys.) Not much I hadn't seen by the time I had my own.
Once when I was pregnant with #2 and in the middle of the "please let me die" sicker-than-I've-ever-been part of the pregnancy, friends of ours stopped by to drop off something. She was pregnant with her 1st baby and had never been around kids much. I was sitting at the kitchen table trying to eat something without dying and my oldest child (about 1 years old) was sucking water into her mouth, spitting it on the floor, then licking it. My friend was horrified and made sure to point out what my child was doing as if she expected me to be equally horrified and put an immediate stop to it. I said, "She's fine, she's had all her shots."
I was like that too. Imagine my daycare provider's horror when my two year old showed up without a coat at -20º; hey, he had a tantrum about putting it on, so I said fine, don't wear it. I believe in the power of natural consequences - sure enough, next day he wore his coat. (I did bring it with us in the car, lest someone feel the need to call social services.
)
See, I like to call that natural selection. And
that is why I have no children. And I'VE NEVER HAD ANY. Just to be clear. I didn't have one and then let it get picked off or something. Considered it, but no. Who would care for my chickens while I was in prison?