For many, becoming a parent is all about sacrifice. Whether it’s giving up money to spend on yourself, time to go out with friends, or even saying farewell to your pre-pregnancy figure, having a kid can be a lot.
However, people can often miss some of the perks of parenthood that non-parents don’t get the luxury of enjoying. We know what you may think: what luxuries come with caring for other humans and putting them first?
Well, we’ve got nine for you below.
1. An excuse to break plans
No one needs to know that you skipped the girls’ night out to have a well-deserved self-care day rather than for mommy duties. Having kids is the ultimate excuse to never attend any events you’d rather skip again!
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Many people understand that parent duties come first and won’t question it if you just have to rush back to your beloved glass of wine (er, baby!).
2. A reason to collect cute things
While some people may raise an eyebrow at grown adults collecting an absorbent amount of stuffed animals and plushies, few question it if you have kids.
No one needs to know that some stuffed animals and toys are yours and others are your kids.
3. Traveling Storage
Purses and pockets just don’t look too impressive when compared to the all-mighty stroller and its range of storage. Some are filled with so many hooks, bins, and compartments that they look more like a file cabinet than a child-storing station.
A non-parent would look way too silly pushing one around without a child in it, but parents have a place for all their things, including the kids.
4. Help with the household
Once kids get old enough, they can start helping with the cooking, cleaning, and other household needs. It’s a great way to teach them responsibility and survival skills while finally having someone else take out that stinky garbage or dust behind the TV, etc.
Plus, seeing kids get excited about helping out can be pretty adorable.
5. Going to fun places
OK, so it’s not like non-parent people don’t go to fun places, but sometimes there’s a bit more understanding when it comes to parents wanting to take the whole family to Disneyland, Legoland, or just any of the lands.
Many parents dream of making those family memories, and no one will question an adult going down the playground slide with their kid. However, being some random adult playing on the playground alone may raise some concerns.
6. Seeing your kids have more opportunities
One of the most rewarding parts of parenting can be seeing your kids have opportunities beyond your wildest dreams. Even if you weren’t able to get into that Ivy League school or get that dream job, etc., you know what there’s still so many chances for your kid to flourish.
Seeing them soar can feel like such a testament to your positive parenting. Plus, if they make it big, it could mean getting that Lamborghini you’ve always wanted. Just saying!
7. Getting to rewatch the best kids’ movies
Whether it’s the Disney classics or another family favorite film franchise, it can be a blast to introduce your kids to the movies that shaped and moved you when you were little.
Sharing those special cinematic memories is often a priceless joy only parents can understand.
8. Playing old board games
If thinking of family game nights doesn’t sound nostalgic, we don’t know what does! A big part of being a parent can be thinking of things to keep the kids entertained.
However, sometimes a family game night can be a complete blast for everyone, especially when the classics are played, such as Monopoly, Sorry, or Candyland.
It’s a great way to see how your children are learning to strategize, show good sportsmanship and more!
9. Early boarding on airplanes
Those dreaded days of being in boarding “Group D” are over after having a bun come out the oven because parents with young ones get priority early boarding. It kind of rocks because getting the stroller and the baby all settled takes extra time, especially with other people in the way.
It kind of makes sense that the humans watching the smaller humans get a bit more time before take-off.
