Imagine this: One day, you return home from some sort of outing. Maybe you were at work, or hanging out with friends, or some other mundane activity. Your thoughts are concentrated solely on your wife, how much you can't wait to open the door, scoop her into your arms, and let her shower you with a flurry of wet kisses. However, when you finally come through the front door, you find your wife huddled on the couch, her eyes wild, her words peppered with anxious stutters. You attempt to comfort her, thinking something terrible must have happened, and it is only with your support that she can embrace the shocking truth:
She's pregnant. Your sweet, innocent kobold wife is carrying your daughter. You're going to be a dad to a little pup, maybe even multiple. If you're in the situation, I can't imagine what you might be thinking. That says a lot, considering I've gone through the exact situation myself three times. Knowing that you're about to bring a child into this world can be intimidating for anybody in any situation; you're probably no different. I certainly was when Andrea, my oldest, was about to be born. If it's any consolation to you, I want you to know that starting a bona fide family has left me with a sense of love and fulfillment that is just as great as what I feel in my line of work. Being a good father is going to go a long way in making you a great husband, and vice versa. I owe it to you to prepare you as much as possible for what lies ahead!
My two oldest daughters have left the nest by now. Just writing that makes me feel very old, heh. I've gone through the song and dance twice, with the third one just about ready to start her own life. Jackie is still here with me, and she has her own childhood memories to discuss. However, we're both getting up there in years, so I thought some opinions from a fresher face were also warranted. My youngest, Irene, is currently rounding out her last year in high school. As part of a scholarship project requiring volunteer work, she has graciously offered to help with this portion of the guide. I'm going to give her a chance to introduce herself now:
'Sup! My name's Irene Hanssen, and I'm happy to have this opportunity to help you out! I'm not quite as hyper as my mom (Marcy got that trait), but I can still be pretty darn excitable! Yeah, I'm the daddy's girl of the family, which is good, since this whole chapter is about family and stuff. I may not know as much about the specific psychological characteristics of kobolds as my dad, or have as much life experience as my mom, but I can tell you one thing: I got some of the best parents a pup could ask for, and I think my experiences can serve as a great example for how to do a an amazing job!
Oh, and, uh, if you know any hot guys, can you send them my way? I'm about to be on the market, baby!
My little girl's all grown up! It brings a tear to my eye reminiscing over my daughters' childhoods, but alas, if our advice here makes even one kobold's childhood all the brighter, then it's worth the tears. That being said, let's get down to business.
During pregnancy, your wife is going to slow down from her usual demeanor. A lot. You'll still be able to see the excitement in her eyes and feel the passion she has for you and the wider world through her behavior, but even if the pregnancy is entirely planned, she's going to feel very cautious regarding the special cargo she's carrying. In one way, it might be a bit of a relief to have things quiet down for a while, but make no mistake: Your wife needs you by her side now more than ever. She'll doubtlessly feel very vulnerable, so you have a moral responsibility to help her know she's safe and sound. Your presence, your love, It's going to suffice far more than any reassuring words could.
When I was pregnant with Andrea, I thought I was going to explode! I felt so bloated and weak! This was back before we started the foundation, so when Monty took extended leave from work so that he could simply stay by my side, it meant so much to me! He's always cared so much! I know not everyone's gonna have such a generous and understanding boss, but if you do, consider calling in that favor, OK?
This may actually be a problem if your boss is a mamono race that has a more aggressive disposition. You may have noticed a stereotype in more recent media that mamono mothers absolutely love normal human couples. The reason for this is obvious: mamono can only produce daughters. Unfortunately, while not every aggressive mamono is like this, I can speak from experience and say that there's some truth in this stereotype. This goes for dating any mamono, as well: Your boss may feel intimidated or offended if she finds out you're bringing another mamono into this world. From her point of view, you're simply creating just a little bit more competition for her own daughters. She may unfortunately hold this fact against you, which is why I recommend being somewhat careful when you bring up the details of your leave to her. Better to ensure that she doesn't make you a target of her ire.
To all the mamono that don't act like this: You go, girl! Kobold mothers are not your enemy! Besides, not every boy is going to find the same dispositions attractive. Maybe we're just taking those that were off the table from you, anyway!
Likewise, the process of childbirth will leave any mother exhausted. Yes, even a kobold! In terms of physical energy, they'll be back to their old selves before the week is out. However, you'll likely see a remarkable change in their temperament, as well. Not to say that she is selfish or egoistic, but I've never seen Jackie act so responsible and mature as I have in the first year or so of each of our daughter's lives. In fact, I'd say that one of the lesser-known advantages of being the husband of a kobold is that your wife will likely shoot up out of bed in the middle of the night to take care of her crying child. There will be no stress-filled arguments over who needs to take care of the baby during inconvenient times; your wife will be on it, not because she doesn't trust you or find you unworthy, but because her loyalty to those she cares about supercedes everything else.
As time went on, though, it did get tiring! Luckily, I had a wonderful husband that proved more than willing to take over when enough was enough! If you find that your wife is tiring herself out over raising the baby, she'd have to be pretty darn stubborn to refuse your help!
For the most part, kobold babies aren't that different from normal human babies, other than maybe being a bit hairier. This is true for a lot of mamono. However, because kobolds tend to be, well, free-spirited and high-energy even into adulthood, you should expect a relatively normal childhood to the one you recall. Your daughter will no doubt get herself into all sorts of harmless mischief. All 3 of my daughters did, and I've heard plenty of stories from other fathers. I can only conclude that it's a result of their natural curiosity and fascination with the world.
We may get into trouble every now and again, but if you raise us right, you should quickly discover that we usually don't mean any harm by it. We love our parents, and we love our friends, too. We don't want those two groups to conflict with one another, and I think I speak for most of us when I say that we believe that doesn't need to happen.
It might be a good idea to be a little wary if your daughters hang around some of the more wild mamono, however. By this, I mean mamono races that tend to be widely known for more aggressive dispositions. For example, we're part of the wolf family, and since kikimory are too busy working hard and your average anubis is a total buzzkill, I once was good friends with a werewolf pack. There were three of them. . . I forget their names, but they were very nice to me back in elementary school. They didn't care that I was a kobold. To them, I was an honorary member of the pack!
Or so I thought. As we grew up, though, they began to talk about finding men. They were so cruel to other mamono that showed interest in any man that they did, including me at one point! All the mean things they said should not be repeated here, but it's safe to say that it hurt me very much. I've also heard that good kobolds have done horrible things to themselves to earn the approval of cruel mamono. Maybe my mommy instincts are kicking in, but I just want my little girls to be safe!
Mom has a point, don't get me wrong, but I also think I should add that it doesn't always have to end badly. My best friend is a golem. Her name is Samantha, and let me tell you: She has quite the ego! I can't believe how picky she is over men, or how rude she can be to other people sometimes. All the same, she's still got a heart, or whatever counts as one for a golem, deep down. She says I help her do right, and that she's honored to have someone like me as a friend! Well, all I have to say is 'right back at 'ya, Sam!' The point I'm trying to make is that, while opposite personalities can sometimes lead to bad influences on us, they don't have to be. We're pretty optimistic creatures, after all!
I have to say that I'm with Irene on this one, though Jackie's advice is still worth listening to. I think it's best to have honest discussions about this with your daughter. It's all well and good to cultivate that natural sense of joy a kobold possesses, but you would be doing her a disservice if you did not eventually expose her to some of the harsher realities of life. When dealing with kobolds, it goes without saying that some naivety is unavoidable. They always want to see the best in others, which, admirable as it may be, is certainly not always a wise move. Teach them to watch out for signs of abusive, manipulative behavior.
Unfortunately, sometimes you can very clearly see that they are walking into such a situation, and yet still they won't listen. I find that's how kobolds tend to 'rebel' as they grow up. They will never despise you, not unless you truly are worth despising, but they may disregard your advice in order to follow their own heart. At some point, you have to give your daughters the freedom to make their own mistakes. Some kobold mothers can get a little, er, helicopter-ish, especially feral ones. Feral kobold mothers will do just about anything in their power to give their daughters a better life than the one they had. I don't think Jackie ever went off the deep end, but I wouldn't call your wife strange if she did. You must remember that you are very likely going to be the more rational parent. Sometimes, experience is the best teacher. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to swoop in and help out once they begin to suffer the consequences, but you would be doing your daughter a disservice if you restrict her freedom because you're worried she'll eventually get hurt. Keep a healthy balance, that is all.
For almost all races, puberty hits mamono like a truck. Once your daughter hits her preteen years, you will likely be astonished by how quickly she goes from talking about her usual childhood interests to her first love. When it happened to Andrea, it really set in just how old I was getting, and it didn't get any less shocking when the same happened to Marcy and Irene. Now, don't panic; your daughter isn't about to start sleeping around with the first boy she meets. During this phase, your average mamono will likely start developing crushes on boys, but they don't acquire their nymphomaniac characteristics until around the time they actually reach adulthood. We still don't know for certain how the biology works, but since almost all races mate for life, it seems that mamono have some sort of in-born realization that they should not engage in sexual activity until they are properly mature.
You should also expect some degree of change when it comes to the relationship you have with your daughter. In their childhood, kobold girls are almost always obedient to their fathers. From my understanding, this comes from a mixture of innate traits and her following the example of her mother. Honest mistakes are likely in their childhood, but deliberate mischief is a rarity. This largely remains unchanged as they grow up, but not entirely. You shouldn't expect your daughter to suddenly shun you, but she will noticeably begin to disobey you depending on how you parent.
You shouldn't blame yourself. If you've been raising your girls right, they still love you very much. Just think about the relationship you have with your wife: Your wife loves you more than anyone else in the world, even more than her own parents. That same fate is beginning to befall your daughter. Don't fight it; you will not succeed. As I mentioned before, she is following her own heart, seeking her own husband. She may still come to you for advice, so please be understanding. I expect that there will be times where you have to put your foot down and be 'the bad guy'. Sometimes, the flights of fancy your daughters take are simply unhealthy.
However, you might be surprised by how your wife's demeanor changes during this period. You see, the bond a mamono mother and daughter share is something you'll never really be able to fully understand. Jackie has tried to run it by me a million times over, but I can only say that some things can only be grasped by experiencing them ourselves. Your wife is going to want what is best for their daughters. One advantage us men have over mamono is that we can generally predict the basic personality traits of a potential wife by understanding the temperaments her race is known for. Mamono do not have that luxury. Some men are cruel, impatient, or otherwise make poor matches for a kobold. If your daughter fancies a man that doesn't pass the –pardon the pun– sniff test, you'd be surprised by how ferocious your wife will behave. I've never seen Jackie more intimidating than when she disapproved of one of Andrea's crushes. Life was tense for a little while, because Andrea was in that phase where she thought her mom was being overprotective. To be clear, there may be times where you have to step in and tell your wife to calm down, but I don't think this was one of those cases. Hindsight is 20/20, and I think even Andrea would readily tell you she would not have been happy in that relationship.
She's been better about controlling her feelings around me, I think. It probably helps that I'm the third time she's had to deal with this, so she's probably found the sweet spot for asserting her concerns without angering me. Either that, or I've got good taste in guys!
That was quite a tangent on my part. In any case, this is still a time period that you must prepare for. You and your wife are the model that your daughters will be acquainted with. The way you treat your wife will leave an imprint, consciously or not, on the type of man your daughter will inherently seek out. Thankfully, you may remember how I said that kobolds are excellent judges of character. You're probably doing fine in this department, but if you're having doubts, you can always sit down with your wife and go over things.
I don't like to think about Dad being the type of man I want to seek out. . . No offense.
But Monty has good reason to believe this! Like mother, like daughter. Andrea and Marcy married men that remind me an awful lot about Monty, and that's a good thing! Monty cares so much, so I can safely say that my pups are in good hands. All I can hope is that Irene finds her own husband soon enough! Ooh, my tail's wagging just thinking about it!
That brings me to my last point about kobolds children: The transition to adulthood. Everything leading up to this has prepared for your kobold to grow up as a domestic. If you've taken this advice seriously, I have no doubt that you've done well, but now comes the hardest part. You have to decide to let your daughter go at some point. She's going to start looking for her man once that big 18th birthday party shows up. During this time, I strongly recommend that you provide her with an adequate amount of support. Give her time to look before you start expecting her to leave the nest. As I've said before, kobolds are underappreciated, so she may not be so lucky in the first year or two. Also, frankly, it would be very traumatic to just let her off and expect her to survive just fine on her own. I hope you have come to know better by this point.
Finally, there will come the moment where she settles down with a man of her very own. This is an extraordinarily bittersweet moment. On one hand, you and your wife can take comfort in the fact that your daughter has succeeded in life. Whatever the future holds for her, she has found the love and intimacy that every mamono craves. You should be proud of her, as well as yourself. She would not be here, happy and healthy, without your aid. All the same, are you not just a little disappointed to know that she is leaving your family to start her own? All that energy, all that love. . . a piece of you has left. The house will be a little quieter without your daughter around. Don't be afraid, my friend; those granddaughters will come around sooner or later! You'll get plenty of visits. I'm sure of it! I have yet to be blessed with any of the time of this writing, oh, but I've heard the stories!
They make my tail wag just thinking about it! Sure, you might say that we're getting old, but I think we're taking it in stride! Three successful children, a happy marriage, and we hear that Andrea's expecting! I know Monty misses his daughters sometimes, but they've shown their love to him time and time again. Knowing that we might have such a big family in a few years really brings a tear to my eye!
I admit, I'm still nervous about the whole marriage thing. There's so many mamono out there, and the competition seems really scary sometimes. Men aren't exactly a bottomless resource, after all! But I've got loving parents, and Andrea and Marcy are doing their best to guide me in the right direction. My sisters still come over for holidays and the occasional random visit. I think what Dad needs help understanding is that this isn't the end, only a new chapter in all of our lives. I know for a fact that, when I get married, it better be to a husband who doesn't try to keep me from the rest of my family. We're all in this together!
Those are very inspiring words! She's right; I need to do all I can to keep that wisdom close to me. As for the guide, I think we have provided all there is to know on raising kids. The next section, our final section, will focus on taking your wife out on dates and general socialization. Perhaps it's a tad bizarre to place that after the section on children, but I felt as though that was the best place for it. In the meantime. . . all this reminiscing about my daughters is making me a bit misty-eyed! I think I have a few phone calls to make.