Do younger adults change their tune, after childbirth?

How the birth of a child changes younger adults attitudes, is amazing. How often is it heard, parents saying my child will never change? Their child, no longer a child, now a full-blown adult, late twenties to early thirties. Then it happens, there's a mother-to-be, a child on the way, and parents, not convinced that their child can cope with an infant.

Shock upon shock follows, these very same children you raised, become parents, and natural instinct takes over. “Was I that good, where did they learn it?” questions you ask of your spouse. Sons become fathers, daughters become mothers, changes manifested that astound unexpected by parents.

You attempt to reconcile their youth with their new-found maturity, the changes in personalities and priorities. These are no longer your children, now your equals.

This is a great time for Grand parents, when the child is happy and all google eyed, they're nice to hold, when they cry; you give them back. No need to ever change a nappy, to see that concoction only babies can produce. The wet hands from damp nappies, a thing of the past. What a pleasure for an older couple. Allowed to sleep through the feeding cycles, not a care for a hungry baby, wonderfully late morning snoozes, the awards of being a Grand parent.

The changes their own children show, the late night parties, a thing of the past, dancing and drinking till late into night, no more. Friends with like circumstances, no more the single or childless couples visited till late. Where and how did this change take place? The birth of a child, the wonders of nature, the love never experienced before. The responsibility towards their baby, a natural instinct, not something you taught them, amazement now what you feel.

The daughter that loved to party, that now states she'd rather be at home with her child. A son that leaves the pub early, or even no longer attends, so that he has quality time to spend with his child, are these your children? The same ones you said would never change? Well that's what I thought of mine, and how they have now made me see youngsters in a different light. Sure, they play hard but they also work hard, yet when ready they make better parents than what I can remember being myself.

As a Grand parent, have I change from when I was a parent? Oh yes, I'm more tolerant, I love to spoil them, and to teach them the odd bad habit, just to get my own back. If my children read this, beware, Grand Dad is going to spoil them and give them things you may not wish them to have. I promise I won't give too much or more than they should have. But, ice cream, chocolate cake and the odd sweet, will not do any harm, it didn't you.