People
SEEING THE WORLD ANEW
People Having a child and becoming parents has revealed new sides of themselves and their relationship, say partners Lina and Hanna, but more than anything, it has invited them to re-experience the everyday through the perspective of a one-year-old.
‘Everything about becoming a mother is more than I had imagined,’ says Lina, as we meet up with her and her partner Hanna and their 1.5-year-old son, Sid, in one of their favourite parks near their home in south Stockholm. ‘I feel more love, there is more work, and the days are more intense.’
‘I have always felt like a mother without children. Now I'm a mother with a child, which kind of makes me feel more at home. Having Sid has allowed me to see the world anew through his eyes: blowing soap bubbles and eating ice cream for the first time. Swimming in the sea, petting a dog, going to a party. To me, that has been pure joy.’
What kind of person is Sid?
‘He is very social, but at the same time, he has a lot of integrity. We often find him completely in his zone, usually playing with his cars, stuffed animals or looking through his books. He is also very cuddly and likes to give us hugs and kisses on the mouth. And he is a real foodie, who loves to eat almost anything,’ says Hanna.
What do you usually do together?
‘We play a lot. Pillow fights and peek-a-boos, chasing each other and howling with laughter. We explore the things we find in our surroundings – from exciting cars and machines to vegetables at the market and spilt raisins on the floor.’
What are some of the most important things you’ve learned since becoming parents?
Lina ‘We have learned that we can’t take each other for granted. The relationship requires more work, attention and humility than before Sid was born. We don't see it as something bad, but rather the opposite; you have to communicate all the time, deepen the connection and be transparent with your own needs in order to keep a long-term relationship.
Hanna ‘Becoming a parent makes you stronger and more vulnerable at the same time. It has been so exciting to discover Lina’s parenting style and get to know new sides of her – how she communicates with our child and how they joke together in their own unique way.
