One of the fundamental realizations that is supposed to come with being a parent is that raising kids isn’t going to be a constant highlight reel. There will be times when you feel frustrated, sleep-deprived, and looking for a break. These feelings can often be the most pronounced in the infant stage—after all, this is the time when your child is the least capable and most dependent on you for all their needs to be fulfilled. Unless you have a lot of help, it is probably a time when you can think about little but what your baby needs.

Still, that isn’t to say that there aren’t enjoyable moments in those first couple of years. Observing a baby grow and interact more with their surroundings is often a part of parenting that moms and dads cherish. This isn’t a unanimous opinion, though, and this can become a controversial topic to approach.