The Motherhood Stage Nobody Talks About Might Be The Best One

So much of the discourse about maternity these days, both positive and negative, revolves around babies. On the positive side, common refrains are about the ephemeral sweetness of baby smiles and toddler snuggles, being nap-trapped and inhaling that special infant scent. On the negative side, moms lament the lack of sleep, the endless stuff, and the incessant crying. 

It makes sense that babyhood tends to get top billing. It’s a special, intense time. It’s also the time closest to another preoccupation of today’s conversation about parenting more broadly: whether or not to become one (or whether or not to become one again).