Photo: RODNAE Productions / Pexels, Twitter
A heartwarming Twitter thread rallies behind nervous soon-to-be dad.
By Hawthorn Martin — Written on Mar 15, 2023
Becoming a parent is a huge life change for anyone, and, like any change, it can be incredibly scary. Having to restructure work, relationships and social time, even sleep schedules around a new infant in the house is a task that can seem daunting even to the most prepared of soon-to-be parents.
On top of that, it’s overwhelmingly common to only hear about the hard struggles of new parents. New parents frequently talk about their frustrations and sleepless nights, panic over their child’s health, and any number of other stressors.
One soon-to-be father was ‘tired’ of all the negativity, and he asked other parents to share their ‘favorite part’ of raising a newborn.
“I’m tired of hearing the… 'you’ll never sleep again,' 'your travel life is over,' 'say goodbye to your weekends.'” Harris Fanaroff posted to Twitter. “My first baby is joining us in the next 3 weeks and I’m excited, nervous, anxious, and grateful. I’d love to hear your favorite parts of having a newborn/baby/kids.”
Within a matter of days, thousands of responses flooded in from other parents to reassure the man that he has bright moments ahead, touching on everything from the smallest fleeting moments, to the most grandiose milestones of life.
“Babies are magic,” one Twitter user replied. “Just had my 4th, and it will never cease to amaze me how much you can love hanging out [with] a person you just laid eyes on and who also cannot talk. Nothing better than a baby snoozing on your chest. You have many moments of wonder & sleepy smiles ahead of you!”
Another reassured the soon-to-be-dad that he would get to rest again. “You’ll sleep again in a few weeks. You’ll definitely be able to travel. Weekends get more organized, and you get to relive all the cool things you love from childhood and feel way less self-conscious about doing dorky things. Life is different, not worse.”
Another user agreed that getting to re-experience childhood is a very real part of raising a kid. “Having babies is like getting to be a kid again yourself but enjoying it a thousand times more because now you know how valuable and fleeting those precious years are and because you are experiencing it through someone you love more than yourself.”
“Say goodbye to LAME weekends,” one dad wrote. “Weekends playing with your kids outside are way more fun. Nothing beats being a dad. It’s awesome.”
Twitter users also did their best to reassure the dad's nerves by noting that there are countless resources out there to help new parents get through their first couple of months.
One parent shared the joy of getting to see a new perspective: “Seeing their personalities develop! Hearing them say something they thought of on their own that totally catches you off guard and makes you laugh out loud. The love and the fun they bring is actually overwhelming”
Another agreed, writing: “Babies unlock a whole new and different part of life filled with those things, sure, but also of love, joy, happiness, meaning, and purpose. You get a brand new perspective on life, and your heart grows. It’s the best thing in the world.”
Yet another comment focused on a simple, mundane joy: “Waking them up in the morning. Our 6-month-old has the biggest smile every morning when we get her up, as if she’s genuinely astonished she gets another day.”
The next day, the original writer replied to his own tweet, expressing his gratitude for all the responses he had received.
“The responses to this tweet have been incredible. But what’s been even better is the direct messages I’ve received from soon-to-be parents sharing how much they’re enjoying reading the replies.”
Through his tweet, he was able to find support, reassurance, and connection with other soon-to-be parents going through the same anxieties that he had. He wasn't the only soon-to-be parent getting nervous about the long road ahead of him! Through his Twitter thread, hundreds of others were able to find the same kind of reassurance he was looking for.
“Over 3,000 replies and counting about how much people love being parents,” he wrote.
Through others, he got a wonderful glimpse into the beauty of his journey ahead. Sure, there will be sleepless nights and frustration and tears, but it will all be worth it for the million happy moments found in between.
Life isn’t ending for new parents, it is just beginning.
Hawthorn Martin is a news and entertainment writer living in Texas. They focus on social justice, pop culture, and human interest stories.