Seventeen & Soaring

17 years ago, I waddled into work pregnant holding my back. The back pain was so bad, and I was so relieved that I had a doctor’s appointment. After weeks of my doctor’s asking me if I wanted to be written out of work, my appointment this day was not with the right doctor. I told her I was in severe back pain (it was labor), and she told me it looked like nothing was going to happen soon and that I should go back to work. I cried and told her there was no way I was going back to work. I went home in pain and that night went into full blown labor. 

25 hours of labor (not including the hours of back pain labor), 3 hours of pushing, and it was time for an emergency c section. My son was born on January 24, 2007. If only I could go back and have a conversation with that wonderful mom who just delivered her first baby. I felt like a total and complete failure. I couldn’t push him out. He was very stuck, and my wonderful doctor tried so many tools to try to get Max to come out. She knew I didn’t want a c section.

If I could talk to myself 17 years ago, I would hug myself and tell myself what a good job I did. I would tell myself that Max and I were okay, and that is all that mattered. I beat myself up for years over that day. I wasted so much time and energy on feeling like a failure.

Please don’t waste any precious time beating yourself up like I did. 

Here I sit 17 years later watching my son walk into the house from his mid-term exam. It has been a very big year for Max. He got his license, and his wonderful parents bought him a car. Mom taxi writing this was feeling tired of driving him everywhere and couldn’t wait to go buy him a car. I told my husband that Max’s car was a gift to me, and he laughed and understood. We were also very happy to do this for our hard-working son. 

The mom who gave birth to Max 17 years ago is a completely different mom than the one who is writing this today. Max and I have come such a long way together. We grow up as parents with our kids as they grow up. We learn and grow with them. Our parenting has to change with them as they get older. Rules and expectations change.

Where are we now parenting Max at 17 years old: 

Join me live at 9PM Eastern tonight and find out...