My most recent adult conversations have been with parents who are tired of their children.🥴 It seems to be a constant topic among single and married parents. I'm not sure if it's the amount of days spent together due to Christmas break, snow days, and the celebration of Dr. King all so close together, but they are over these children!!
While I'm laughing as I'm typing this, I can definitely relate. I remember being that mom-what am I talking about? I still am!!!
One summer day in particular (they were much younger) my children were getting on my nerves sooooo bad, I grabbed my purse and was about to run away. They lost it! They begged me to stay...promising they would be good (what does that phrase really mean? 🤔...I digress). That lasted maybe an hour.
Now that they are teenagers, I can honestly say I miss those days of them running around and getting into things.
More importantly I miss that I wasn't more involved. I was so busy being occupied with unimportant stuff, I missed a lot of fun moments with my children. Not only that, I feel like I made them miss out on just being children.
If I had a quarter for every time I said, "Sit down and be quiet", I would be a billionaire for sure! I was so uptight and irritated by my own mess, any little thing they did I was fussing.
Oh but now I'm wishing I could have some of those moments back.
My oldest is about to graduate high school and the other two
aren't too far behind. I don't live with regrets, but I wish I could
go back just to enjoy their little laughs, which at one point was annoying. I wish I would've talked instead of yelled or spanked.
I find myself wanting to set up the race track, have a tea party,
or just watch the cartoons on Saturday mornings.
I didn't realize they would grow up so quickly; those moments I once found annoying I now want to hold on to.
What am I saying? Enjoy the laughs. Listen to them when they want to talk (you'll miss that baby voice). Go on the walk. Play the silly game they made up. Those moments won't last long.
Our babies are only babies for a short time. Let them enjoy the moment.
Try not to fuss as often. Give them space to run around and play.
Don't grow them up too fast.
As for me, I will enjoy these teenage years: their humor, their conversations, their unique perspectives, how they keep me up to date with new lingo, and how they call me out on my foolishness (yes I allow them to tell me when I'm wrong).
Some things we hurry along, other things we should bask in. Our children are worth the time!
As I mentioned before, this part of their life is short lived. Let's let them walk on their water.
Well done!!! Enjoyable read and insight