National Blog Posting Month – March 2013 – Risk
Prompt – What is the riskiest thing you’ve ever done? How did it turn out?
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Gee. I kinda already covered the riskiest thing I ever did: The act of becoming a parent. It was a certifiable nightmare. I know many women have been through similar experiences and gone on to have more children. For myself, I decided that the risk was not worth it. When the boy was born, I was already getting close to being categorized as ‘high risk’ just because of my age. Now that the boy is 8 and I’m a little (ahem) older and have had a C-section, I’m definitely high risk. I have other life goals, so it seemed like a good idea to move on with those and stick with the one child.
In the end, that was probably a good call.
I didn’t cover what happened after the boy was born. I went through terrible post-partum depression, and only two years ago, we found out that the boy is on the autism spectrum. At least that explained why no matter what I did, what parenting tactic I tried, he always behaved inappropriately. It wasn’t bad parenting. It was him. And now I know. Then the depression finally lifted.
The the risk I took was greater than I had anticipated, and things definitely have not worked out the way we had planned. But we still win. It was worth it. Our boy is a wonderful, completely unique human being. And I love him.
Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist 
Good on you for not falling into the trap of how things are “supposed to be.” Flexiblity is the key to happiness. (As are low expectations. (grin))
A properly healed C-section isn’t as risky as they make it sound. All three of our children were delivered that way. The first was an emergency (3 weeks early; pre-eclampsia – baby now has two kids of her own); the second, 2 years later, was because my wife’s doctor was of the “once a C, always a C” school; and with the third, 9 years later, her (new) doctor gave her a choice of a standard delivery or another surgery. She opted for the surgery because it let her schedule the due date. (I think she was afraid of labor, too. Her mother had some terrible stories to tell.)
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Hi, with parenting sometimes it is “go big or go home.” I too had my only child late in life. She is 10 now. I wouldn’t go back and undo anything now. I am glad you have a wonderful son. His love will outshine anything.
🙂
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PS, I am joining the A to Z too. 🙂 Check me out. I love visitors and feedback too.
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