Children grow and change at an incredible rate. When they are very young the change is daily. New skills and words and likes and dislikes are constantly developing as the days pass by.
Today I realised something. That I should pay more attention to these things, because tomorrow they might be gone. The blunt fact is that we can never have the same day again with our children because with each day they are a bit older, they have learnt new things and therefore their responses are not the same as they were even a day earlier.
We can’t be there for EVERY single thing of course. We can’t witness every breath, every giggle, every new word, see the start of every new skill, do every bathtime, every bedtime, every mealtime, play all the time or observe, photograph or video everything. Life doesn’t work like that. We have other things we need to or have to do each day, important things that keep life ticking along.
I think though that it is exactly this point that highlights the need to pay detailed attention to the things we are present for each day. Cherish those small things because soon they will be gone:
- My children won’t always want to kiss me good night
- They wont always be happy to hold my hand
- They won’t always want to cuddle me
- They won’t always want to cuddle each other
- They won’t always be happy to all pile in the bath together
- They won’t always want me to play The Tickle Monster
- They won’t always think having raspberries blown on their tummies is utterly hysterical
- They won’t always get words mixed up or say hundreds of cute things a day
- They won’t always be proud to show me the contents of their potty
- They won’t always shout “Mummy, watch this, watch this” over and over again
- They won’t always be happy just to ‘sort’ out the tupperware cupboard or my sock draw
- They won’t always be excited by wrapping paper
- They won’t always want me to read the same story over and over again
- They won’t always want one more kiss before bedtime
- They won’t always pull at my clothes when they want picking up
- They won’t always hide behind my legs when they are shy
- They won’t always look at me with their big brown eyes and say “pweeze Mummy”
- They won’t always discover something new and exciting everyday
- They won’t always only have to worry about what colour socks they want to wear or what they would like to drink with their dinner, or which cereal they would prefer…
Soon, in the blink of an eye life will be more complex for them, and all these little things we take for granted or sometimes just don’t see as important will be gone, and there’s no getting them back.
So, PAY ATTENTION, because you will never, ever have this day again.
29 comments
Thank you! Promise I won’t. My son sometimes gives me the most inappropriately timed, ridiculously sloppy kisses and every time I remind myself that, however inconvenient, one might be my last.
Exactly that – as you have slobber running down your face you MUST remember just that!
Ahh this is so great! It’s true that we must treasure every moment. My thoughts this week have been very similar – but focused on my youngest child because I do everything for the ‘last’ time with her. Thanks for sharing. XX #sharethejoy
Yes – I really understand that feeling – it is very odd thinking it will be that last time 🙁 End of and era!
Great post. They grow up so fast, before you know it, they are having their own kids. I remember when the kids were little and trying to be there all the time, but no matter what, life seems to go quickly.
Enjoy all those moments,
Bev
I agree Bev, even if you spend all your time with them, you still blink and miss things.
Time flies and soon they will go to college. Enjoy every second because you are going to miss every second. 🙂
Very true Ana – thanks for reading 🙂
This actually made me cry… What a lovely reminder. I definitely spend too much time complaining about the annoying little things that my kids do! Especially the Mama, look, Mama, look Mama, Maaaamaaaa, loooook noooooow!!! All the time! But I know there will be a time when I will miss this 🙂
Oh gosh Christine – thank you, so glad it moved you and thanks do much for reading x
This is so sweet. While I don’t have children, reading this sure made me think back to my childhood with my parents and how much I would love to be able to repeat some of these last times with them…especially my Mom. Thank you for sharing the sweetness with #ShareTheJoyLinky!
Thanks for reading Regina 🙂
This is too true, I hate thinking about the little moments I will miss when the get older #sharewithme
I know – tough this parenting lark isn’t it?
sigh. It really does go by very quickly. One of the nice things about blogging is being able to go back and read about your thoughts and emotions along the way. I only need to go back a few months and its crazy how much things have changed. #sharewithme
Yes I agree – so cross I didn’t do it earlier though Jeremy!
Aww this made me so emotional, it’s so true though! With Eva starting school in September I am super emotional about how she has grown so fast. It’s so important to enjoy this time while they are young as pretty soon we will have blinked and missed it. #sharewithme
It is just that , you blink and miss it, we have another school starter this September too 🙁
This post makes me a little sad as I have already seen these phases pass. they are indeed wonderul and enjoy each day #sharewithme
Thanks for reading Fiona – it goes so fast doesn’t it?
Well said. They change so fast and their younger selves are gone before you know it. And hang on to all those little moments tightly too. You think you will never forget, but you so easily do. Cherish them, record them, remember them. #sharewithme
Thanks Tim – do you find you can record them fast enough some days?
So true! I love seeing them develop and learn new things but I also hate how fast it goes! #sharewithme
yes – such a mixture of emotions isn’t it?
You are so right. My eldest is 11 and well into the tween stage, I remember the days when he was so cute and loved nothing more than running around the house in just his nappy!
#sharewithme
(sorry for the late reply!)
I know – my eldest only has one year left of primary school, I Iook at her long legs and think how did she ever fit inside me and how have I been a mum for 10 years already.
What a lovely post. It’s so true that things change quickly and you should definitely cherish every moment. And you’re right – it’s the little things that you maybe didn’t even notice that end up being the things you miss the most
Debbie
So true! So important! And yet something I know I am all too good at forgetting. I loved this post x
Beautifully written and so very true.
Children grow up far too fast