I reached for the box of Frosted Mini-Wheats and gave it a shake. Ugh, it was empty. Peering inside, I spotted three solitary morsels swimming in a sea of crumbs. Not one to waste food, I poured the remnants into a bowl and polished them off.
Next, I grabbed the Honey Graham Oh’s box, giving it a shake as well. Ugh, another disappointment. I pulled out the bag and raised it up. More than a handful left, I decided, so I dumped them into my bowl and added a splash of milk. As I crunched away, my gaze landed on the box of Total Raisin Bran, now standing forlorn and unattended. I didn’t even need to shake it to predict its contents.
Fifteen bran flakes and four raisins later, I found myself both satisfied and teary-eyed. My journey through fiber, sweetness, and crunch was a bittersweet reminder that my days of finishing the last bit of cereal were dwindling. A year from now, the house will be quiet, and the cereal boxes will remain full. I might just switch to eggs.
This habit of finishing what the kids start begins when they are infants. It becomes part of our roles as mothers. We eat the crusts of grilled cheese sandwiches, the final scoop of melting ice cream, and the pieces of steak they’ve just learned to cut. We tidy up the last toys before nap time, read the final lines of storybooks, and sneak in the last few math problems to get them to bed on time. Even now, as I encourage my son to do his own laundry before he heads off to college, I find myself pulling his clothes from the dryer and folding them. I’m finishing the task for him yet again.
It’s a sacred routine. The child begins, and the mother concludes, with beginnings and endings so intricately intertwined that I hardly notice where his start ends and my finish begins.
But I am acutely aware of this particular conclusion. The chapter that began 18 years ago is coming to a close. Yet, there’s still time, and I will savor this cereal slowly, cherishing the laughter and sweetness of these moments, because this last year is significant. The dance will change after this, and I’m not exactly thrilled about learning the new steps.
For more insights on navigating motherhood, be sure to check out this post on home insemination kits and explore fertility tips from the experts. Additionally, if you’re interested in pregnancy and home insemination, this podcast from the Cleveland Clinic is an excellent resource: IVF and Fertility Preservation.
In summary, the act of completing what our children start is a beautiful, albeit bittersweet, aspect of motherhood. As we approach the end of one chapter, we must cherish these fleeting moments and prepare for the changes that lie ahead.
Keyphrase: Completing What My Kids Start
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