Probably everyone with a job they like better than the actual work of caring for a child has felt the same way. I've been an engineer for 30 years and a parent

Probably everyone with a job they like better than the actual work of caring for a child has felt the same way. I've been an engineer for 30 years and a parent of three daughters for the same period, so those are my bona fides in this discussion :). The work of tending to a child or three does not make your life more magical and fun and fit for transcription onto a greeting card. If it did we wouldn't so often think of it in terms of sacrifice. And you are sacrificing: your time, freedom, sometimes your peace of mind. As parents we don't engage in this labor because it suddenly makes our vacations ring with poetry and glow with the golden light of an autumn afternoon. I think we mostly do it because we've brought a new small human into the world, and if you have an ounce of empathy and affection for this little person that cannot fend for itself then you want to protect it, nurture it, ensure its survival. These are powerful instincts. They are also important responsibilities. If you follow through on them, do the work, and you're lucky to live long enough then one day you'll know your child as an adult who will be a friend rather than a dependent. You'll spend time together as equals. You'll be able to take vacations and enjoy them without disruption. You'll be able to sleep later, even though your body won't want to. You'll definitely take naps and will probably have hobbies. And then grandkids may come along :). But in between there's the work. It's only about a quarter century's worth. It's definitely not always fun. It's sometimes memorable, and often heartwarming in a way that intensifies with memory and retelling. Ultimately it's just the stuff that needs doing when we create new humans. Best of luck with it! Every parent can use a little of that.