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First Few Days

I remember three things about the first three days of my son’s life with absolute clarity. The first was how loud he sounded that first time he cried. As someone afflicted with childhood asthma, I took great comfort in his first bellows. Now, his lungs still function perfectly well to command a board room, battlefield, or debate stage. The second thing I remember was the first diaper change. Of course, I got peed on, but it felt like the true rite of passage into parenthood. It is something I will always remember fondly because it felt like we had cemented our bond as child and parent. Third, I will remember that first night home with baby.

First Night Home with Baby

Despite months of preparation for this tiny human, reading on the pros and cons of pacifying, Ferberizing, and Babywise, it was 2AM, and my son was wailing for help. Everything I had studied went out of the window as we tried to comfort the newest addition to our family. Nothing seemed to work. We had fed, changed, and even thrown the pacifier at the problem (despite resolutely refusing to do so the first two days of his life). He still wailed. In the end, he ended up eating again and then falling into blissful sleep. As my wife and I reflected on what happened (weeks later and with some sleep), we determined that it had to be the new environment, the new place. While it was our home, it wasn’t my son’s home yet. It was foreign to him. Years later, I can say that I wasn’t very hospitable to his needs.

All the research I had done was for me. I wanted so badly for him to be quiet and to sleep and be healthy, but those were for selfish reasons. The first night home with baby is when it changed though. It was no longer about me. It was about welcoming this new tiny person into my home, my family.

Welcome Home

On Tuesday I wrote about how the father welcomed the prodigal son home. It was a party and it made the son feel at home. The father threw aside some of the negative and selfish reasons and threw a party. It took me a few hours before I started throwing aside all of my selfishness when my son came home.

Christian Application

The deeper application here though is can we, Christians, cast aside our negativity and selfishness to welcome home our younger siblings, our children? I certainly am not perfect at casting aside my selfishness even today with my son, but I am far better at it than I was that first night of wailing. Are you willing to cast aside assumptions, plans, and be questioned on traditions for the new convert, whether that person is in their 50s or teens? Are you willing to make your home, our Church, hospitable for the new children of God?

If you want to learn more check back next Tuesday for the next article. The previous one is linked here. You can subscribe here to join my email community.

P.S.

P.S. Read and follow Babywise. You can find a link below here It has been a lifesaver for me. I wouldn’t have survived becoming a SAHD without it. The other key to my success has been Grandma days. That is less attainable for many people, but the short book of Babywise is attainable for almost everyone.