Hello listeners and welcome back to the English with Neil Learn English podcast.
Today I'm going to talk about becoming a parent.
Now, it's interesting how my family started.
And I'd like to tell you a little bit about that today.
So I remember when I was working as a kindergarten teacher and I was on my break time.
I opened my phone and my wife sent me a picture of a sonogram.
A sonogram is basically the picture that you get to check when you're pregnant or not.
So my wife sent me a picture and she said, I think we're going to have a baby.
And I was like, whoa, I'm going to be a father.
You know, I was really I was really happy.
I was really like really excited.
And that was really big news.
But.
Even more bigger news was she went back to the clinic the next week and the doctor said I think there's another egg that I didn't see last week.
I think you guys are going to have two boys.
And we're like, whoa.
And that was like really shocking news.
I mean, finding out that you're going to be a father is already exciting.
But to know that you're going to have two, we were like, whoa.
It was totally unexpected, but I was really happy, just really excited.
And I remember telling my coworkers, telling my family back home.
And it was just a really, really exciting time.
And I remember the delivery day was like the scariest day of my life.
Here in Japan the women have to get a C-section, which that means they cut open the women's stomach to remove the child.
And so my wife had to go in for surgery, and me and my mother-in-law were waiting in the waiting room, and I felt like we were waiting for eternity.
It was like the scariest time in my life.
I was praying.
I was hoping that.
I hope everything goes well.
I hope our kids are healthy.
And I feel like God answered our prayers.
She came out.
And they showed us our two boys and we were just like, whoa, this is real.
This is really happening.
But the crazy thing was, is that I didn't really feel like a father until three months after.
It was really weird.
We took our boys home and we're feeding them and they're crying and we're new parents and it was confusing and fun.
But it really didn't hit me until three months after they were born that, wow, I'm really a dad.
I'm really a father.
And I just, I don't know, it was kind of weird.
And I talked to some of my friends and some of my friends had the same experience.
It's like something hits you and you're like, whoa, I'm actually a father.
And so, yeah, that's how that happened.
So we had two twin boys.
My boys are currently in elementary school.
And so...
I'm learning every day.
One thing my dad told me is when you become a parent, there's no handbook.
There's no guidebook.
You just have to try to do the best that you can.
I think that's for everyone.
I think we're managing well.
I think we're doing pretty good.
I think we're good parents.
I hope we're good parents.
We try to do what's best for our family and our kids.
I think we're doing good.
But one thing about parenting, you know, it's a learning experience.
You can read the books, you can get advice from other people, but these are your kids, so you just have to raise them how you see fit, and I think we're doing a good job.
You know so being a parent is it's challenging, it's fun, it's frustrating.
There's There's ups and downs, highs and lows.
But at the end of the day, you know, these are your kids and you love them regardless, you know.
When they were little babies, you just held them and fed them.
But you know, when they get older they have their own opinions and they want to do things their way.
So...
That's the challenging part, but at the end of the day, they're your kids and you'll do anything for them.
I think any parent would do anything for their kids.
It's probably one of the greatest experiences that you know you can have in this lifetime is having your own kids.
So, yeah.
But anyway, how about you?
Are any of you out there parents?
If you are, how's parenting life?
How is parenting life treating you?
Let me know in the comments.
I'd love to hear from you.
Alright everyone, that is it for today's episode.
Thank you for tuning in to the English with Neil podcast.
I look forward to speaking with you in the next one.
Take care everyone and talk to you soon.
Peace.
