It’s happened to all of us at some point; It’s a beautiful, sunny day. You packed up your diaper bag, put actual pants on, brushed your hair, and headed out to enjoy a relaxing stroll to the playground before parking your stroller next to the swing set. It’s nearly nap time and you know you’re cutting it close, but the weather is so great! You just had to get out and get some fresh air with your toddler. 

Apparently, you’ve pushed your luck just a bit too far, because little Suzy starts whining after a few minutes and before you know it, you’ve got a full-blown tantrum on your hands, alligator tears and all. Your frustration gets the best of you, and you let a sigh slip past your lips. 

You’re trying to console your kid and coax them back into the stroller to head home when a dark shadow begins to loom over you- and it’s not the sunshade on your Graco. Suddenly, the fresh air turns stale, the balmy breeze begins to feel like ice, and your sixth sense sends goosebumps down your arms. You turn around, only to find…
A grandma lurking over your shoulder. 

“Oh, that’s nice,” you naively think, “she’s probably admiring how cute my baby is.”

Oh, but little did you know, that tiny whisper of discontent you barely registered emitting a few seconds ago rang out like a dog whistle to her ears.  

“Just you wait…” she cackles, her twisted grin raising the hairs on the back of your neck.

Surely she can’t be talking to you, right? You were simply spending time at the park with your kiddo. What could she be going on about? Maybe she’s confused? 

But no. She’s definitely talking to you. Your scrunched brow and disappointed demeanor when dealing with your tot’s tiff was like a lighthouse, beckoning Granny to saunter over and give her unsolicited two cents.

”Excuse me?” You hesitantly reply, curious what she could possibly have to say to you, a complete stranger.

”I said, ‘just you wait’… You think you have it rough now with naptime? Wait till’ they stay up all day long and never give you a moment’s peace. Enjoy naps while you can because you won’t be able to for long!” 

She walks away, chuckling to herself, leaving you to ruminate over the bleak future she’s just prophesied over you, and it’s hard to snap out of the funk even after she’s gone. 

Okay, maybe that reenactment was a little more dramatic than how it usually goes down (not by much, though!), but a convo like that has happened to almost every new mom. 

Go ahead, raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by the phrase, “Just you wait”! 
I know I have.

In fact, it just happened to me a week or so ago. I had to use the restroom at a car dealership when I ran into an employee while I was washing my hands. Someone had made a mess in one of the stalls, and she commented that she had to clean up after a little boy in that bathroom stall the day before.

I laughed and mentioned that I have three girls and only one boy, so the bathroom messes at my house thankfully haven’t been too bad so far. 

She laughed and then responded, “Oh, three girls? JUST YOU WAIT. They’re worse than the boys! Hogging the bathroom, spraying the seat, fighting for time in the morning. It’s not bad yet, sure, but you’ll see once they’re teens.” 

K. Thanks, lady. Super encouraging and edifying! 

Like all moms, I know that every age has its own struggles, and with each new stage comes new issues we’ll have to tackle, but must we highlight the negative in every casual interaction? Why do conversations always default to how bad it will be, and never focus on how much joy the future holds for parents? 

No, of course things aren’t perfect for anyone- we’re all well aware. But can we at least try and make an effort to be positive and encouraging when given the choice? 

I’ve never left a conversation like that feeling renewed or inspired about the parenting journey ahead of me.
I will say, though, the interactions I’ve had with strangers that truly left a positive mark on me are the ones where the little old lady in the store came up and told me all about how raising her own four kids was the highlight of her life, or the older gentleman who took the time to walk over and compliment how well-behaved my kids were being. 

Those are the things we should be approaching new parents about! Let’s fill their cup, not add to their plate.

Newborns can be tough, toddlers will test you, and big kids have their hurdles, but what nobody tells you is that each stage has its perks, too! I miss those tiny potato baby days where all they did was eat, poop, and snuggle. The preschool years are so fun when they’ve still got the baby face but their personality begins to blossom. And when they start to get older and come into their own as big kids, it’s incredible to imagine that this goofy kid cracking jokes and holding deep conversations with you is actually yours! It’s been such a joy and blessing to watch each of my kids grow into the humans they’ve become today. Every year I think they’ve reached peak coolness, and then every year I’m pleasantly surprised by the new ways they’ve grown in every way. 

That’s not to say things won’t be tough sometimes; there’s no doubt about that. But if there’s one thing I could say to every burnt-out, exhausted young mom out there, it would be: “Yes, I know it’s tough right now, but 

just you wait… 

It gets better than you could ever imagine.”