What's your 'thing'?

I was chatting with a couple of good friends from my mum's group this morning, and they were both talking about what their one 'thing' is - their one pet worry about babies/raising children.

One said hers is head shape. Her first son had a misshapen head after birth which took quite some time to correct itself. She was very aware of it with her second son too, and he ended up with a slight flat spot. She's a wealth of knowledge on ways to avoid and fix flat spots, it's just something she has spent a lot of time worrying and thinking about.

The other mum said hers is sleep. Her first was a bad sleeper, her second is a bad sleeper. She worries a lot about how much sleep her baby is getting, is it enough, how to get them to sleep, etc.

I was thinking, and I'm sure I must have a 'thing', but nothing has come to mind yet. I'm passionate and interested in quite a few things, but there isn't one area specifically that I spend a great deal of time worrying about. It got me thinking though... so what's your 'thing'? (if you have one).

mine was also sleep, caused and still does cause me loads of anixety

Big ears (superficial, I know :redface: )

They run in my DH's family.

Food.

My DS1 hardly eats a thing and he's small for his age. I feel like i am doing something wrong. I try hard not to let the tension show...

When i was pregnant, it was hoping that they would have straight feet (2 from 2 so far :leap:). Not sure what it is now. Hoping they are not bullies?

As long as they're alive, I'm cool :) Though of course I hope A and her younger siblings grow into good people who go on to raise good people of their own!

Another one for sleep.

Also breastfeeding/supply issues. I had low supply with dd and battled for months. I know every trick under the sun to boost supply, lol.

The sun.

I am paranoid about skin cancer. There is a family history of skin cancer on both sides. My FIL died of melanoma. My kids have very fair skin.

Talking. I'm paranoid with DD for her to have speech problems of any sort


Sent from the land of "iSomethings" so forgive me for any spelking misstaks ;)

Walking, legs and feet in general. Thanks, hip dysplasia. Will be on the look out for this baby too.

Breast feeding and sleeping. My kids were crap at both so I'm an expert.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tantrums. every time ds has one (& considering he's still 2 & there's a new baby, they're fairly frequent) i feel like im failing as a parent & that im a crap mum. and eating - ds can be fussy & i worry tjat we're not being tough enough about it.


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Playing..no matter how much or how little time I spend with DD, I always worry that I'm not spending enough time playing with her or doing quality things with her. She is super smart and very clever (she'll be 3 in July, knows colours, shapes, can count to 20 by herself and up to 100 with a bit of help, the alphabet, can spell & recognize her name as well as mum, dad, dog, cat, spot (thanks Spot books!) & Mason (our dog) so she is definitely not being neglected, but I always feel as though I don't spend enough time with her :(

Croup and constipation. DS1 and DS2 both get croup, DS1 often has severe croup. So far it looks like DS2 doesn't get it as severe and often as DS1. And DS2 suffers from chronic constipation. Those two subjects have me researching for hours on end.

Gut & psychological health. My eldest son has autism resulting from poor gut health and the youngest one has poor gut health too so I spend just about all my energy focused on analysing their poos and improving their guts.

Head shape as well (DS has had isssues starting from birth) and reflux (both kids had it!).

When she was first born the initial few months I was obsessed to the point of anxiety with DD's sleep, she was a shocker and I would stress thinking it was going to be 'damaging' to her development or something...I think I lost more sleep stressing over it than what she was actually depriving me.

Now it's her temperature. I'm always worrying about what to dress her in, is she going to get too warm in that, is she going to get cold, what should I dress her in o/n??? Silly I know! I think it's coz I'm so sensitive to temperature and cannot stand feeling too warm or being cold :p

Prior to birth/birth - DD being born alive

Then it was sleep, then food and now whether she is ready for school or not - never ends huh?!

With DD1 I was always anxious with her sleep, or 'lack of sleep' as she was difficult. Even these days I wonder is she getting enough.

These days since having DD2 I am one of the most relaxed mum's and I am happy :) she is a great sleeper!

I do worry about preservatives etc in the kids food lately and try my best to limit those sort of foods in their diet. I worry about childhood cancer :( because I read about it and it's more common now :( but I try not to worry about it as it may never happen :pray:

My pet worry is that I turn out like my mother - I have no worries about my children. They're perfect just as they are, head shape, sleep, eating, personality quirks... perfect.

I would like my son to grow up to be a proper gentleman. Not as in owning a country manor etc (but that would be nice) - just a good, decent man who is polite and curteous. I'd want any child of mine to grow up to be "good" people.

Unfortunately with both girls it has been their hearts (heart defects) and the whole hungry/tired/not growing/development issues merry-go-round that goes with it.

For me it's allergies

Mine are mental development/health and apathy/laziness. I dread the thought of a lazy, disinterested, selfish child or teenager like so many I have taught. I am also always on the lookout for signs of Autism/ADHD etc

I also get myself in a tizz about the constant talk about 'sharing' with one and two year olds. Everybody seems to be always judging toddlers on their ability to share just like they were judging them on their ability to sleep when they were babies. Both things that they are usually incapable of doing at the age they are being judged at!!!! So I spend a lot of time at playgroups watching my son and saying in my head 'please please please don't take that toy.....oh dammit'

Tough one!

My " thing" at MG would have to be biting my tongue. SO many times I have wanted to shake one of them by the shoulders and make them read the research.

If I had to say one thing, it would be the environment, and our green-leaning way of life.

I check for early indicators of autism/ADHD as there is a family history and DH is a special needs teacher so he's aware of it as well. My DS is gorgeously exuberant, so at Mother's group I spend a lot of time chasing him around and apologising as he grabs another kid's toy and bolts with it and telling the other mother's that he's fine when he's climbing on furniture (at my own home, when we're at someone else's house it's their rules). I'd rather encourage him to explore and set his own physical limits than decide for him what he is and isn't capable of. So I worry about finding the line between polite society and toddler expression of self :)

As babies: it was SIDS, i had a brother pass of SIDS and DD1 was the same age around the same time and i was petrified.

As children: it's getting them to eat right at dinner time and making sure they get enough stimulation - i want active healthy kids who enjoy a good mix of indoors & out, it's so hard finding the time and energy sometimes to get them doing things and eating properly.... DD1 is a PITA at dinner time and it's annoying me no end, i'm now working on ways to get her eating veggies etc again and it's making me mental :rofl:

Babies it's SIDS, as they get older it's speech. DS has ASD and the one of first big indicators was his lack of speech. At 4 his speech is that of an 18 month old. My DDs talk non stop in sentences and with excellent awareness so that makes me stress less.

Allergies at first, then not parenting like my mum or letting DH parent like his dad. It's an ongoing battle.

sent from my watzamajig so may not make sense....

From the moment I got pregnant, my big worry was toilet training! For everything else, I felt like I could go with the flow and follow their lead but toilet training felt like something I would need to be more actively involved in, I wish I had known about elimination communication at the time. Toilet training ended up being pretty cruisey though I still have DD2 to worry about!!

Asthma. Food allergies and intolerances. Psychological functioning.

Oops that's three.

Mine's a bit different... The world. We live in a broken world and I'm terrified that something is going to happen to them that is outside my control.

But it is also an awesome world and I want them to explore it to it's fullest!!

Right now it's sleep (with DS2). DS2 is still waking several times a night to be fed (he's breast fed) which is sooo tiring since DD and DS1 were also terrible sleepers until they were about 3. I would love to experience a night that none of my kids woke me up and that I got up of my own accord in the morning and not 5am!
And food mostly with DS1, who is a terrible eater. I worry about them developing permanent issues because of me trying to get them to eat, so I try not to be too stressed over it, but I also want them to realise they are lucky to have such food, and that it's important to have a healthy diet every day! I don't wan them developing any type of eating issues because of me.
I also worry about DD not being a self righteous brat. She is getting to an age where her attitude is beginning to become an issue! Teaching her manners and respect is not difficult exactly, since she know's what to say and when, she also know's how to push buttons and be totally disrespectful!

Mine certainly changes as my children get older, and my concerns are different for each of them.

DD1 to be honest I don't worry about too much now as she has grown intoa healthy, self assured, happy little person but I do worry that people will take her easygoing nature for granted. As a baby it was reflux, allergies and gut issues. She was a very sick little poppet.

DD2 was again the gut issues, but she also has extreme anxiety that will most likely be a life long condition she will need to deal with, so that is and I imagine will always be my huge worry for her - how she is going to cope in a world that at times overwhelms her so completely.

i have 2..
first (and worst) is eating.. she barely eats anything and i worry that she's fading away..

second. is that how my parenting is affecting her ITMS.. do i do enough with her? am i too hard on her? do i let her get away with too much?

btw, this is an interesting thread, i might just ask my own mummy friends :)

I was bullied so bad in primary and high school that before I ever thought about having kids I worried for them!

I worry about them having good behaviour to others and to have friends and have a good/fun childhood.
That is why I take them out to visit their lil friends most weeks, they go to daycare to interact with the other children and DS1 does a sport at Kindy also.
DS1 is a very cheeky child and pushes my buttons everyday. I don't want him to be bullied but also I DO NOT want him to bully other children. It stresses me out everyday to try and teach him the right behaviour when sometimes I feel that I have no idea how to deal with it.
If that makes sense?

Anyway, I want to give them the best chance at a happy childhood! I didn't get one and it still affects me to this day!!

I worry that she won't be liked by other kids, that she'll find it hard to make friends. I went through some tough times at school and it breaks my heart to think the same could happen to my beautiful girl.

Since starting work I'm also worried I'm not with her enough, and when I am with her I need to do other things - like shopping, or dishes or laundry. I hate that she spends so long with other people at daycare, and worry that I'm neglecting her :(

Sent from my GT-P7510

When DD was born it was feeding and weight gain, now its other peoples opinions of my parenting skills and weather i am doing the right thing by DD...

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

Tongue ties, all of mine have had/ still have them. whenever i meet a new baby the first thing i tend to check is their tongue...weird i know! lol
But at the same time, DD1 and i would have had a much more positive breast feeding experience if her tongue tie had of been picked up earlier

Despite the fact that I get very little sleep, it isn't that - I know it'll get better.

For DS, I worry that he's a bit weird and won't have friends when he's older. It's possible that he's just so cool that he seems weird from my perspective. Also, he's 4, so a certain amount of weirdness is probably to be expected.
DD.... I used to worry that being frozen for a couple of years before she was born might mean she was dumb. She isn't.

I worry that I haven't been strict enough with DD1 and her tantrums are all my fault.