In this special column named ‘The Babies Cue x Parenthood Series’ we will be showcasing the incredible stories of parents within our community. Get an exclusive glimpse into their parenting philosophies and daily routines.
Believe in the strength of the community. During those challenging moments when you feel overwhelmed or unsure, you can always rely on your fellow parents. You can seek motivation from their experiences and share your own inspiring tales to uplift others within the community.
Meet Kelly Swee (A Mother of 2 Sons)
TBC x Parenthood Series: Kelly Swee & Sons
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am Kelly and I have been happily married for more than a decade. I am a mother to two beautiful boys.
How many children do you have? What are his/her/their names?
We have two children. They are Dylan and Duncan.
Why did you decide to have your child/children? How did you think having children would affect your life?
Having children seemed like a phase where we would eventually enter into our marriage. Children do complete a family. I think I knew it would affect our lives in some way or another, but of course, we wouldn’t know what we didn’t know. So before having children, it was difficult to imagine how exactly our lives would be affected.
TBC x Parenthood Series: Kelly Swee & Sons
Describe your knowledge and/or experiences with children prior to becoming a parent. Did you prepare for parenting? If so, how did you prepare?
My knowledge and experiences before becoming a parent seem negligible. Always felt inadequately prepared for our firstborn. I don’t remember much that I did for preparation, it was a lot from talking to parents who shared experiences.
How and where did you learn about pregnancy and childbirth? Were your expectations and knowledge of the prenatal and birth period accurate?
From talking to parents to reading books, Google searching for answers, and leading to reading articles and watching videos online. They were mostly accurate from what I can remember. Unexpected experiences are bound to happen as every child is different and our experiences wouldn’t be the same but similar in certain ways.
What has been the most meaningful part of parenting for you?
The most meaningful part of parenting is seeing children happy and healthy. When they are happy and healthy, we enjoy our special moments together as a family. And sometimes these are moments that catch us by surprise pleasantly.
TBC x Parenthood Series: Kelly Swee & Sons
What had been the most difficult part of parenting for you?
I find the most difficult part of parenting is when doing the simplest thing becomes the hardest thing. When children insist on their own agenda at the expense of others’ conveniences or even in more extreme cases, safety, we need the aptitude to look into the children’s perspective, understand why they are thinking this way, and then figure a way to them to see our point of view. It is challenging when we are in this situation. And it gets tougher when we are physically or mentally unwell, where we tend to lose our temper easily.
Who inspires you to become a better parent?
I can’t think of a single person who inspires me to become a better parent. I would say its a collection of learned experiences from different people who inspire me to become a better parent. People would include family members, friends, or parents whom we learned about from all walks of life. Everyone has a story and it’s always amazing to find something we can learn from and be inspired about.
TBC Parent Kelly Swee
What is your personal motto?
Do you have any word of advice for other parents who are starting their own family?
What do you do in your free time as self care? How do you unwind?
What is one thing you are grateful for?
I am very grateful for my family.
Connect with Kelly Swee!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyswee
Are you a Parent too?
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