The Real Baby Shower Gift Every New Parent Should Receive

Ahhh baby shower gifts! The adorable onesies, the soft blankets, the cute little toys- you know the standard stuff. And these are all great things however the next time I go to a baby shower I am seriously contemplating putting together my own gift basket of what I now consider the essentials… not just those items that are going to get you through the next few months but real life things that are going to help you through the years to come – or at least the next 8 1/2 years (that’s as far as I am on this adventure called parenting)

My basket would include the following in no particular order:

  • Various cleaning products:
    • carpet cleaner
    • stain remover
    • Febreeze – for those days where its all the energy you have just to cover up the smell
    • Magic Erasers – I could kiss who ever invented these things.  They take crayons off walls, permanent markers off counter tops, grubby/sticky handprints off everywhere you can imagine….
    • Santizing wipes and bleach cleaner.  For those times when a big sibling might leave a lovely (ahem) log in the toilet without flushing and then leave the baby gate open which allows a toddler to go in the bathroom and try to be ever so helpful by putting the plunger in the toilet…and on the floor.. and on the walls. All while you ran upstairs for 2 minutes to put some clothes away.  I’m not saying this has happened to me – but its happened to me.
  • Protective gear including, but not limited to, mouth guards, helmets, nut cups… so basically hockey pads.  Little kids have a way of beating you up without even trying or meaning to.   They can and will leave you huddled over in pain long after they have merrily skipped off.  And then you will step on the lego path they left trailing behind them.
  • A book that explains how to negotiate with the unstable
  • Wine. If you love that soon to be parent at all you will give them wine.
  • Chocolate. Ditto.
  • Coffee.  Extreme Ditto.
  • And lastly, inspirational notes that may read for example:
    • Its just phase
    • This too shall pass.
    • You still look hot. (honestly you can hardly notice the stained up blouse and under eye circles.)
    • Treat yourself to a new rug….cuz honey that stain ain’t coming out
    • People were not staring at you as your toddle threw a fit in that store…well maybe a little but they weren’t judging…well they might have been … oh you know what, screw them  😉
    • YOU ARE AN AWESOME PARENT!

So what do you think? What have I missed? Feel free to comment below on anything you would like to add 🙂 Please don’t think I’m an angry or jaded parent by reading this list. I love my my kids, I love being a parent. I’m just a little more “seasoned” at this point.

Would I ever actually give this gift? I don’t know.  To get it as a new parent might just scare and overwhelm.  Maybe its better to let them snuggle that soft baby blanket and let them live in ignorant bliss for just a little bit longer 😉