“Hey, Mom,” my almost-teen son calls as he strolls through the door after soccer practice. His voice, deeper and more mature, still catches me off guard. I look up, half-expecting a stranger to greet me. In a way, he is a stranger now. The bubbly, blonde little boy who would rush in with a cheeky grin and sparkling blue eyes has transformed into a laid-back young man who enters rooms with a slow, distracted air. His smile doesn’t come as easily, and soon, those bright blue eyes will be looking down at me instead of up.
With every inch he grows taller, I feel him drifting away. But counting the summers until he leaves? That’s something I refuse to do.
I get why people say these things. When well-meaning strangers at the store or restaurant say, “Cherish every moment; they grow up so fast,” I nod in agreement. It’s true that as parents, we can easily fixate on the wrong aspects of our journey. We let frustrations overshadow the joyful moments and take for granted the fleeting days we have with our children.
However, these constant reminders of how quickly their childhoods are slipping away can create an urgency that often sabotages our ability to truly enjoy the sweetness of parenthood. With each school year ending faster than the last, I can feel the weight of time pressing down on me. I want to heed the calls to slow down this rapid march toward adulthood, but I know fighting time is a losing battle.
I refuse to let myself be consumed by fear and anxiety. I don’t want to expend energy resisting the passage of days, months, and years, leaving me too drained to embrace the present. I don’t want to resent the natural progression of my children’s lives or, even worse, hold them back. Their futures are brimming with potential, and I can already see it.
My hope is that when the last summer arrives, they will burst into the world, hearts brimming with excitement. There should be no hesitation about leaving me behind. Yes, I’ll shed tears and feel an ache in my heart as they venture off, but even in that moment, I know my role as their mother is unbreakable. Our bond is eternal. They will return, and in time, they’ll bring new life into my arms—spouses, grandchildren, and more.
So for now, I choose not to dwell on how many summers are left. Instead, I’ll relish each one as it comes, fully immersed in the joy of the moment.
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In summary, I’m choosing to savor each moment rather than count the dwindling summers. The bond I share with my children is lifelong, and I’ll embrace every experience as it comes.
Keyphrase: Counting summers with kids
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