1 [Report This]Date: August 30, 2021 10:58 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
I think you nailed just about what every other parent has felt. Yes there were advantages to life before kids. There were stresses that we didn't have to face. However even with the new stresses and changes in life that come with children, we wouldn't trade it for a moment. That's what I saw coming from this one. Great job to get that vibe going.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! There were so many things I miss before being a parent and so many things I love now that I am. It’s truly a balance and at the beginning I think most parents have a mourning process of that loss of freedom. It’s common and I think rarely discussed because it’s perceived as being a bad parent, but truly it’s just the natural reaction that comes from only having to worry about oneself and maybe their partner to the next day there being a person who needs you for every aspect of their life. Thank you so much for your insight and wonderful review!
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 01:57 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
Wowwww this felt so real. I know these feelings well and you captured them perfectly. Feeling guilty that you miss a life before kids while also never wanting to go back to a time they weren't here. It can be complicated, but so worth it. Well done!
Author's Response: It's so hard to deal with that guilt but desiring it none the less, it's definitely something all parents deal with and I love these missed moments from the television show we didn't get to see- so I like to fill them in :)
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 10:21 am Title: Bangs and Barettes
I think you did really well with this. It's striking in some ways how fast Pam and Jim ended up having kids - for two people who waited a long time to be together and felt so strongly about each other, they really didn't have a long time in their own before becoming parents. It certainly makes emotional sense that Pam would miss that time of them being able to enjoy each other.
You've also I think captured well the exhaustion of parenting a young child, and how much it takes out of mothers especially. You feel Pam's loss and mixture of happiness and desperation and guilt. Very visceral, very personal. Nice work.
Author's Response: Thank you so much for this, I think that they fell into having children very, very quickly, and the same thing happened with my partner and I, and I can relate to them. And I think there's a part of them that misses the lust aspect as well of wanting each other, and everyone misses that moment in their relationship. Thank you so so much for your review!
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 09:15 am Title: Bangs and Barettes
I liked this, one of those glimpses at what we didn't see onscreen between them during what was a very monumental time in their lives as new parents.
Your story and end notes resonated with me. It had been quite a long time since I was in Pam's/your place as a new mom but I can still remember like it was yesterday after my first son was born the feeling of being overwhelmed and thinking "what have I gotten myself into" and pacing the circular driveway in front of my city building with the stroller, crying hysterically along with my baby, not caring who saw while waiting until my husband returned from work.
I can also tell you how it gets both easier and harder but it is the most rewarding thing I've ever done and I wouldn't change it for the world, despite having many more moments of struggles, self-doubt, and tears (both happy and sad) through it all.
I love seeing personal experiences in fics and I can tell you it can be cathartic to put them down even through surrogate characters. (I've done it myself, which regard to my own mom status). I look forward to seeing more of this.
Author's Response:
Maxine, thank you so much for this review, I truly appreciate all the thought you put into it. I always tell my partner sometimes I get what I jokingly refer to as buyers remorse--that feeling of, what have we done? Tonight was one of the nights where the baby was just crying non stop, and nothing was working and we were both so so tired. I am waiting for the gets easier part lol, and knowing we will trade in things for easier and harder aspects of parenting.
It's extremely cathartic to work through it with other characters, thank you again so much, and i look forward to your reviews!
1 [Report This]Date: August 23, 2021 09:44 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
This gives me all the feels. It's a very authentic new parent experience and you nailed it.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! Being a new parent is like 100 emotions all at once, so I definitely wanted to put that into words somehow.