Having a son has changed me in ways I never saw coming. There’s the obvious things about more responsibility, less sleep, more joy, less time. But there’s even little things that I notice about the world that didn’t even occur to me before having a kid. For example:
New Shopping Carts – I walked into our local grocery store the other day and immediately lit up when I saw the new, sleek, and clean shopping carts greeting me at the entrance. As the smile grew on my face, I immediately pulled one out to admire the child seat, the untangled safety belt, and the clean sitting area. Before Kyler came along, I would have probably never noticed and certainly would have never cared. But now that I’m a dad, I notice new shopping carts. New shopping carts mean I don’t have to worry about a strap being broken, or a wheel being stuck so as to jolt my kid every time I try to turn. It means there is a less likely chance of pee being on the seat from a previous sitter. This is great news for a Dad!- Wall Sockets and Low Decorations – When I walk into a room now, the first place my eyes go are to all the low furniture, hanging cords, decorations, and wall sockets. It is not because I am particularly interested in the way the lower half of a house is decorated, but because I know that my son, the moment we set him down, will destroy it. This is now second nature to me.
- The Backseat Size and Trunk Space – I haven’t ridden in the backseat of my car since I got it. I rarely ever rode in the backseat of anybody’s car, and when I did, I didn’t really notice the size (unless it was crushing my knees). Now, anytime I look at a car, I try and figure out whether or not a car seat could fit comfortably in the backseat. I look at the trunk to see if it could store a stroller, pack’n’play, toy bag, diaper bag, and another stroller. I check instinctively.
The Lunch Menu – Our son goes to sleep at around 6:30 at night. This has been a wonderful gift, but it has made going to dinner at a restaurant as a family pretty difficult. So instead of hanging out with the AARP crowd at 5, Lauren and I have found going to restaurants for lunch a great compromise. This probably speaks more to my own naivety, but I had no idea so many restaurants had lunch menus. It’s great!- Changing Stations – I vaguely remember pre-baby when I would walk in a restroom and see a strange rectangular contraption hanging on the wall. Now, its one of the first things I look for when going into a public bathroom. If a restaurant doesn’t have one, I get offended. On a recent trip to Alabama, Lauren and I had stopped at a McDonald’s/Gas Station (classy, I know) and the restrooms didn’t have one. I felt my sons civil liberties had been violated and was getting ready to call the ACLU.
Becoming a dad changes everything. For you Father’s out there, what are a few things that you notice now that you never did before you had kids?
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Cody Kimmel is a worship pastor, student, writer, and musician. More importantly, Cody is the husband of DMB co-founder, Lauren, and the father of Kyler. He also writes a blog called Shouts From the Wilderness.
As a new dad, one of the things I’ve noticed is that random strangers have no problem touching someone’s newborn. Before, I never paid any attention to babies or strangers. Now that I have a kid of my own, I’m amazed at how many strangers walk up to us and touch his hands, cheeks, head, etc.