Is the grass greener on the other side?

#MummyMemoirs

I grew up in a single parent household, giving me the luxury of two homes, two bedrooms, two lifestyles, two chances of getting something that I had circled in the Argos catalogue. 

I call this lifestyle a luxury but in reality it's not all its cracked up to be. As a child I had this notion that life at home was no fun in comparison to my moments spent with my weekend parent. My weekend parent had all the time in the world for me. We would go to every cool place imaginable; museums, cinema, fun fair, SHOPPING. I quickly associated my weekend parent with good times and gifts, whilst branding my home parent- who kept a roof over my head, fed me, guided me through my school years, was  on call for any emergencies- as the boring parent. "Is the grass greener on the other side?"

As a young child who has the "luxury" of living in a single parent household, you don't appreciate the things that your parents do for you on a daily basis. To be honest, why would you? That's the last thing on the mind of a school child.

However, it took me a long time to really appreciate the responsibilities of a parent and the sacrifices that they make for their children. 21 years long to be precise (Sorry home parent) but the positives we can take from that is I can appreciate my upbringing and I haven't grown up to be a completely ungrateful human being.

Now that I am a parent who has given my child the "luxury" of a single parent home, I wouldn't be surprised if history repeated itself. I am more than likely to become the "Boring home parent" and my son would probably demand to spend everyday with "the weekend parent" that's just how our little minds work as a child; "is the grass greener on the other side?"

As parents we should allow our children to express themselves. I would be completely okay with those demands as long as;

My child grows up to appreciate and show gratitude to both of his parents for all that we have done for him.

The grass is always greener on the other side if you don't play on it everyday.