They Do Grow Up

Now that yet another Christmas is past and a new year begun the strain of just how quickly the kids are growing up is present yet again. Terrible twos, toddles, crawling, first steps, babbling new words, and animal sound games, have faded into memories that seem as close as yesterday but yet as far as an eon ago.  It doesn't matter if you are a stay at home mommy or a working mama the idea that the years slip by far too quickly has its way with us all.  No matter how many times they sing "I Won't Grow Up" from Peter Pan,  kids do grow up, it happens way to fast, and it tugs at my mommy heart.

Turning chapters can be difficult.   As a mother of four I can hardly remember what it was like to be a mother of one.  How can it be that my baby is nearly halfway through kindergarten? It seems like time is a vacuum. For me, it seems like the memories are in danger of slipping away.  They won't I know, though I probably should spend a little more time documenting family trips, important events, and what day to day life is like teaching these four miracles what life is.

On the other hand growing up can be extremely exciting!  There is much to look forward to. Older kids can handle more difficult things.  It's nice to have kids who can cook breakfast or bake some cookies.   It was a joy to watch my six-year-old ride learn her bike without training wheels this month.   I love that my nine-year-old has an intense interest in history.  It gives him so much to talk about!  When he was two he was too busy to tell you his opinions about things unless it had to do with vegetables, he just wanted to run and me to chase.  It's great to see the kids develop new skills, as they become athletic, musical, a driven student, and a caring friend.  Each child's unique personality brings liveliness to our family.

When it comes to adolescence, in many ways, the past has prepared me for the present.  It's a hard time.  I have no qualms in saying adolescence brings suffering.  There is, however, much to gain from this stage.  Just like a three-year-old needs a parent's gentle guidance as they figure out what they need, so do preteens.  My daughter still needs hugs, cuddles,  a shoulder to cry on, and even someone to fight with from time to time.  Being the oldest she doesn't know just how much she has shaped me as a parent.  She has allowed me to teach her as she had taught me how to hold back and give independence.  As they grow it is no small phenomenon, I'm sure, when in the midst of discussing what's appropriate for boy-girl relationships at this age (just friends) you find that she agrees!  This certainly flows from a trust she has for her parents.  Or, perhaps she is just our easy one :)

It is an honor and a blessing to care for and watch them grow.  It a joy to spend wild crazy times together.  Nothing beats our quite times as a family, reading together or spending time around God's Word.  In my vocation as a parent, I have faltered many times, daily.  I've been too pushy, or overly distracted (silly Facebook), impatient, grumpy, lazy and so on.  It comes down to the fact as a sinner I  am self-centered.  Yet, in Christ my family knows forgiveness, we are bound by it,  reconciled to each other.  This certainly shapes our family life; past, present, and future.

While I can't slow down time, it is good for me to remember that there is still a lot of time left.  I can remember that they need me to be the mom, and still need me and their dad to be present.  Even as they continued to get older and they  want to spend more time with friends than with family, they will still need that family bonding time to prepare them for their own families.  Most of all they will need mercy and encouragement.  So I will relish this time, cherishing the past, embracing the present, and looking forward to the future.