Things I wish

[craftyashley]

Things I wish I would have done before having kids:

1. Went to medical school. Maybe then I would know when a cough is just a cough.

2. Took a nude photo of myself. I wish I could remember what it was like to be thin.

3. Really rocked a pair of Christian Louboutin heels. 'Cause flats are all that's in my future!

4. Bought a really fast, cool car. I can hold a lotta kids- but very few horses.

5. Never got into the big bag trend. There's plenty of time for me to tote my giganta-purse/diaperbag.

Anything else you can think of?

[lena241]

I wish I would have traveled more, I hate flying with kids.
I wish I would have went skydiving, I wouldnt have had to worry about "accidents"
I wish I would have blown money on too many clothes and make-up I didnt need
I wish I would have moved out of Michigan, and to a warmer state.

[War_Eagle]

I don't know. I had a great life before I had children and then, when my wife and I got married, we had a great life together.

I was twenty-five and she was twenty-three when we had our first little tax deduction and we wanted to wait until we were thirty or so because we felt like we wanted to travel and have an adventure before we got tied down with children.

And it's so funny when I remember that we felt that way because looking back I just can't imagine what we could have done that would be any better, any sweeter, or any more fulfilling than having a house full of kids.

We're going to be adopting our first child in a couple of months and if you had me back in my rock and roll days that I'd be a farmer and married with five (soon to be six) children and thinking it was the greatest thing that ever happened, I'd have thought you were crazy.

Now, I can't imagine anything else.

[craftyashley]

Don't get me wrong. I love my new life with kids. Sometimes I just wish I had an alternate-universe waiting for me when I need a break. (and this alternate universe has to have hovercars)

[Jessica at Parenting.com]

Great thread!

I would have lived in other countries more.

I would have purchased real estate in NY before it got completely out of control, like it is now.

Other than that, I was totally ready.

(And I still plan on doing all of the above someday! ;))

[tierrajo1]

I would have saved more money!
I would have gotten to know my husband's family more and let someone else have had the first grandchild!

[annahorton07]

I would have established a regular girl's night out.
I would have made love to my husband more.
I would have slept in more nights.
Gone on more dates.
Traveled to different countries.
Finished nursing school.
Saved some money.

But you know, even though there's is a lot of things I would have done differently; I still don't regret even one minute of my life. I LOVE being a mom! I love watching my daughter grow and learn new things. I love seeing her beautiful smile. And I can't wait to have more! Also, you never know, I sitll might do a couple of things on my "to do list". But if I don't, then that's okay.

[ra11en]

There is nothing I wish I had done before starting a family. I've already seen the world, gone to school (still going, will always be going I think), have great job, was married, built a new house, spent lots of time with my friends and even more with my DH (10yrs), spent lazy days doing nothing for hours on end.....

Maybe saved more money, but I don't think there's ever an abundance of that for anyone these days. We have retirement funds going strong, savings accounts set up and growing well...so, that doesn't seem that big of an "I wish".

Great thread!!

[supermomwannabe]

I was on the wrong train when I found out I was pregnant with my first so that day was the "wake up and take a look at what you've done with yourself" day. It was absolutely the best day of my life! I was 19 so there are A LOT of things I wish I could have done before I had kids. Being a mom is so wonderful. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I can't imagine for a second doing the things I wish I could have done then without my kids in the picture!

[summerjai]

1. I wish I would have finished college. It's so hard trying to go to school, work and spend time with my 1 year old daughter.

2. I wish I would have traveled. A lot. I love traveling with her but sometimes I just want do all grown up activities but can't when she's with me.

3. I wish I would have went out to clubs and partied with my friends. Now finding a babysitter is not that easy cause you have be picky about who you leave your children with.

4. I wish my financial situation was a lot better before I had her. Then I wouldn't have to work so hard now.

5. I wish I would have shopped til I dropped 'cause now all of my money go to her.

It's so many more. I wouldn't change the child, just the time in my life that I had her.

[charliesmommy]

I'm with Jessica. Everything I haven't done yet that I want to do I will do in the future. Hopefully with Charlie. :)
Most of the things I want to do are going places like Italy, Ireland, Maine, Alaska, Japan, Austraila and Spain. The other thing is a dream of both mine and my husband's. We want to buy a house on the lake. We live blocks from Lake Erie and one day we plan to have the lake be our back yard.

[ktejmommy]

We're going to be adopting our first child in a couple of months and if you had me back in my rock and roll days that I'd be a farmer and married with five (soon to be six) children and thinking it was the greatest thing that ever happened, I'd have thought you were crazy.

Wow War_Eagle! I definitely never would have guessed Rock and Roll! :) That is quite a transition.


As for the post:
I would have gotten myself more financially comfortable. I would have bought that new car far before I actually did and I'd now have myself closer to (or in a dream world into) my dream house.

[Misunderstood]

I wish that i waited until i was married, in a better situation with the money, went and finished college, got all my fun out of the way because there are times when I wish I could go out but cant with my daughter

I love my child to death but I wish i would have had her later in my life I am only 19 and sometimes i feel so stuck like i havent really experienced life myself

[jbrown08]

I wish I would have dated more and experienced my young adult years as a single gal longer. The things I would have tried.

I wish I would have saved up more money

I wish I would have finished college

I wish I would have gone on a tropical vacation

I wish I would have specialized in a particular job field that actually earns a decent living.

[luckymama2]

*finished at least 4 yrs of college is a big one
*perhaps started a "real grownup" job for awhile just to experience what thats like to have a "career" not a "job" and tucked money away so things would be easier right now and maybe we could get things like a house easier
*party it up a lot more with my friends!
*gotten married in less of a rush, been engaged longer, and had a real wedding that took a year to plan! (he was a Marine and we got married at the san diego courthouse before he left for training! ... what a honeymoon!!! LOL)
*live on my own for a couple years (i went straight from parents' home to living w/a hubby)

[luckymama2]

If I had done the thing on my above list though I wouldn't have the kids I have now and even though I wouldn't know better since I do I still wouldn't trade the way my life turned out for anything bc honestly things happen a certain way for a reason in life. I was twenty when I had my first and went straight from being a college student to being not only a military wife a year earlier but to being a SAHM. And yes we were married when I conceived....I found out four months after our wedding day that we were expecting our first! :)

[cynthia76]

i wish i would have appericiated my time alone a lot more... and i wish i would have use my time more wisely.

[amyi]

I wish I would have spent more time alone with my husband

I wish I would've traveled

Gone to nursing school

That's about it =)

[ProudMommyto3]

I wish I would have waited having my children until I was married to my husband. I was 17 with my first, 19 with my second and 20 with my third. I wish I would have went to college and had a career. I wish I would have had friends that I could turn to when I feel down in the dumps (most people my age dont have one child let alone 3)

I love my kids more than anything in the world and I would never for a minute regret any of them, maybe change the timing but never actually go back and change it, they are my world & I dont know where I would be with out them.

[ProudMommyto3]

Forgot to mention in my above post--this is a big one:

I wish I would have enjoyed using the bathroom alone lol. And showering, it just isn't what it used to be, ugh! The little things we take for granted!

[anac69]

I wish I would've traveled to other countries more. I think that anyone who hasn't traveled out of the US, or where ever they're from, at least once, hasn't lived! My husband and I went to Costa Rica for two weeks and it was the greatest thing I've ever done. I was so beautiful. Costa Rica is now my "happy place" whenever I need one. Also, I wish my husband and I would've been together/married longer before we had Charlie, our daughter. We were only together 2 years and married 1 year before I got pregnant.

[Because I said so]

1. Went to college. Not because it would have furthered my career in any way because everyone I work with has a degree & theyre doing the same thing as me. But... I definitely feel like I missed out on the experience of college.

2. Dated. Alot. Even before I got married at the age of 23, I only had 2 very lenghthy relationships & did not ever really date.

[lindseyh911]

I just wish I had traveled more. There are so many places I would love to go and I can't afford it right now. Maybe someday......

[brandie1127]

I wish - I'd have taken life more seriously. I'll be 26 when shes born and it has recently hit me how screwed up I've been. I danced through college and after getting a job in my career I still danced part-time. I am married but we didn't save at all - we just spent and spent and spent. And now that I'm pregnant I lost my "real job" obviously can't dance - not that I would want to It's time to kick that bad habit. And recently have had to apply for welfare - and I feel "My how the mighty have fallen" I went from living large to poor OVERNIGHT! And I have noone to blame but myself. I drive a 45,000 car and I'm applying for welfare and the car is going to be repoed.

I wish I could council girls who get caught up in earning a fast dime over a slow nickle - it is SO not worth it in the end!

On a more normal note: I wish that we had concentrated on paying off some debt before I got pregnant because then the bills would not be soo much!

Maybe this baby has saved me by teaching me a little humility you can be sure I will not be so stupid in the future!

[cay8099]

I wish I had waited until tomorrow to try prunes for the first time so that daddy would have been home to change that diaper....P U!!!

[bluecollardad]

i am glad i didn't have to change that diaper and i wish i never do

[bluecollardad]

i wish i had more time in a day so i could spend it with my sons. it seems like the days go by faster and faster. it feels like not so long ago my 5yr old was only 2. I know u know what I mean. also I wish more guys would take responsibility for there kids and not just be s***m donors and be fathers to there kids. my wife and I have two friends with kids and the donors are no where to be seen, I try and spend as much time with them as possible. I also wish more guys would pay more attention to there kids. ya we work hard ya we pay bills but newsflash they are your kids to they would love your attention

[simzfanatic87]

I'm 21, and six months pregnant. i wish i had waited more(even though thought of being mom is really starting to excite me) i really wish i had gotten a better FULL-TIME JOB WITH STABLE HOURS. (instead of part-time with fluctuating hours) I wish i had never slacked off in school so i would be a lot closer to finishing now. I wish i had lost weight and become a skinny girl so that if i went to being thick it wouldnt hurt as much as going from plus-size to plus-size with big belly. i wish i had dated more taken more chances. But what i really wish is that i had a stable environment to bring my child into instead of living with mom with crappy job.
Everything will work out though. I really really hope so.