Many parents say parenting has changed their life.

As young woman, I wanted to join a course to become a facilitator of parenting workshops. The director of the project said to me, “Ronit, in order to be a parent educator, you need to be a parent first”. And she declined my application.

I was very upset. I tried to convince her I would be the best facilitator she ever taught and flashed my high academic scores in her face, but she said to me, “Parenting is one of those things you can’t learn from books. You must experience it. When it happens, you realize that neither books nor the best institute can prepare you for such a dramatic change in life. You can go through the program, you can pass the final exam and you can be a high achiever, but for this, you first need to be a parent”.

No matter what I said, she just replied, “When you have your first child, you will understand”. She was determined and I failed to convince her to accept me into the program.

Later that year, when I held Eden in my arms after a long, hard labor that ended in a caesarian section, I understood why.

Today, in this chapter of Top Parenting Bloggers Discuss, our experts answer the question “How has parenting changed your life?”

How has parenting changed your life?

Richard “RJ” Jaramillo – Single Dad

It has humbled me in many ways and given me a greater purpose in life. I am far from being a perfect father, but I never give up trying because of the fact that I have three others to look after.

Sue Scheff – Sue Scheff Blog

Becoming a parent is a major life change. One of the most significant changes I felt was how unselfish you become. There is nothing more important in your life than that precious bundle of joy. You are amazed as you are no longer concerned about those designer clothes or what your friends are doing – it is all about your child. As your children grow, you will experience bumps like you never expected, but these are all learning curves and although they may seem like you wish you never became a parent, the rewards outweigh all those difficult times.

Susan Heim – Susan Heim on Parenting

In every way! Being a parent has shaped my career, my identity and my goals. I’m sure my life would be much different today if I weren’t a mother of four.

Annie Fox, M.Ed. – From the desk of Annie Fox

I have always loved being with children – teaching them, helping them understand themselves better. Being a parent only increased my empathy and compassion for all children. Parenting has, I would have to say, made me a softer and more patient person. I am, as a result of parenting, much more aware of the impact of my words and my actions.

Maria Melo – Conversations with Moms

I don’t even know where to start. It has been the most frustrating, energy depleting time of my life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It has also been the most rewarding time of my life. Before I had children, my main focus was getting ahead in my career. I climbed the ranks of every company I worked for and prided myself on consistently delivering results. Promotion came after promotion and I had plans for further personal growth. I was all about personal development and becoming better every day.

I never knew just how much personal growth I would achieve by becoming a Mother. I have learned more and grown stronger in the last 5 years of motherhood than I ever did in my career. I also became humbled by the power of a parent’s love. All those career promotions combined do not equate to my child telling me he loves me or cuddling up to me in my arms.

My ambitions, goals and dreams now revolve around my family.

Annie – PhD in Parenting

Completely and not at all. Completely, in that my children have added a whole new dimension to my life. I now care about and think about things I never did before. But they also have not changed who I am. My children are extremely important to me, but they are not my life. I had a life before having kids and I still have that life now. I think being my own person is important to keeping perspective as a mother and also being a good role model to my kids.

Ria Sharon – My Mommy Manual

Parenting is the greatest spiritual journey. It is the most amazing self-development program any person can sign up for.

Ronit Baras – Family Matters

My life changed as soon as Eden was born. One second before, I did not have the same feelings I had the moment I saw her. In a split second, I felt so much love to a creature I never knew. It was a mixture of love, responsibility and fascination with my magical daughter. Some big events in life, much like becoming a parent, are the birth of some feelings and thoughts you cannot adopt without actually experiencing them. I think Eden’s birth made me realize how much I was loved.

Becoming a parent changed me but did not shake me, because I knew what to expect (having studied psychology and child development). I think the professional knowledge contributed a lot to my confidence as a parent and inspired a lot of creativity in me.

I think parenting is one of the most important tasks in my life and my success in it brings me the most joy and happiness.

How has parenting changed your life? Let us know through the comment box.

Thanks again to Richard, Sue, Susan, Annie, Maria, Annie and Ria for being part of this great series. If you wish to know more about them, please visit their blogs, follow them on Twitter and/or become their fan on Facebook. Alternatively, post your questions or feedback for them as a comment below.

Join us next week for the discussion about the ideal kid.

Happy parenting,
Ronit