Parenting in Sussex: Why did nobody tell me this?
I’ve had another one of those ‘why did nobody tell me this?’ moments this week.
The biggest instance of this happening was when I had my first child.
I like to be prepared and plan for things, and so by reading lots of parenting books and articles I thought I was going to get an A* in caring for my baby.
But it was much harder and more unpredictable than I could ever have imagined and I just could not understand why nobody had warned me.
It felt like a massive conspiracy or something, and I still don’t think I’m over questioning why nobody told me it was so hard.
Not quite to the same life-altering extent as child-rearing, but similar levels of incredulity ensued this week when I picked up my new glasses.
My last eye test revealed my eyes had deteriorated, which came as no great surprise given I was having to hold anything with writing on at arm’s length to read it.
I already wore glasses for working on my computer, which I’d thought were reading glasses, but it turns out they weren’t. I now needed reading glasses, as my prescription has got stronger, and so that’s what I ordered.
I went to pick them up, feeling excited that I would finally be able to read packaging without full beam searchlights overhead, arm fully outstretched as if my life depended on it, and a slight squint.
Only to find that the minute I put them on I felt seasick.
Why did nobody tell me that while it brings everything into the foreground into sharper view, everything further than a metre away would be like looking out on the world after ten pints?!
Look up away from the screen or what you’re reading and everything is unbelievably blurry. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this!
Maybe I’m just stupid, but I thought they’d be like the glasses I already had for work, just a bit stronger. I wasn’t expecting to have to pad my way to the toilet should I forget to take them off when I go for a comfort break.
Apparently I will get used to them after a while, but in the meantime, I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not actually drunk at 11am on a Tuesday!