Before I can be your friend, I have to change your diaper

This may be true of all kids, but our newborn daughter hates having her diaper changed. She has screamed for approximately 90% of her diaper changes. Given we go through 8 or 9 diapers a day, that’s a lot of unhappy experiences. But as a responsible adult, and now a parent, I have to decide to do things for her own good, even if she hates it.

This a learning curve for me. I’m used to dealing with adults. And not all tasks we perform are fun, people don't typically scream at me for asking for help with a spreadsheet or the dishes.

It’s been a long time since a cooperative and friendly leadership style has not been effective for me. But in this relationship we are dictators. Rulers of our home, enforcing decisions on our little one. Why? Because she doesn’t know better.  She doesn't understand that without a diaper change, she would have a rash. That without changing clothes and having a bath, she would feel less comfortable.  That naps are necessary. She knows that she’s hungry and tired and needs to be loved. How to accomplish those objectives, well, she's still learning.

Then again, so are we.