Unconditional love? Future slave? No, the best thing about having kids is this

 

Having children of your own is awesome, no doubt about it. Challenging, exhausting, expensive and mind baffling - but yes, still awesome. There are lots of things you could list as the best parts about being a mum or dad (everything from sweet little hugs and kisses down to the assurance there will be someone around in years to come to wipe your bum when you check in to the geriatric nut factory), but I think the best part about having children is this:

You get to be a child again.

This year both of my boys have experienced many 'firsts,' but two stand-outs are when I took my eldest to the cinema for the first time, and when I let him stay up to watch his first fireworks. On both occasions his mind was blown and it makes you realise how much stuff we take for granted as adults. Just because I've been to the movies hundreds of times shouldn't mean I find it any less amazing.

Children allow you to see everything - even seemingly ordinary objects, places, people and experiences - through their fresh, innocent eyes. So it's almost like you're back to being a babe in the woods again, soaking up life like a sponge.

And it doesn't end there. There are lots of other parent perks that come with this cool second childhood, such as the licence to be ridiculous, and the toys. Oh yes, the toys.

I am so obsessed with my son's Kinder Surprise smurf figurine collection (they were toilet training rewards). Every time he opened an egg and out came a character we didn't have, I felt a rush of pure elation. I thought I lost Papa Smurf the other day and was devastated, but after searching high and low and finding him under the couch - again, pure ecstasy. There is only one character we still don't have yet - fishing rod smurf - but they're not selling them anymore. Crushed. I've seriously considered contacting the makers.

I also spent about 30 minutes the other day working out a super cool musical arrangement on a toy guitar which has ten different riffs programmed into it. My kids were not as impressed as myself (or my husband), but I was rocking the casbah. For that half an hour I was on cloud nine with not a care in the world. Bills? Chores? What are they?

Ok, so have I already checked into the nut farm? Quite possibly. But if you're a parent you'll know what I mean. And if you're not one, then maybe this is another good reason to think about having children. Because who wouldn't want to be a kid again?
 

What stuff do you love about parenthood (aka second childhood)?

Photo credit: visualphotos.com