When you first have children they talk about the challenges of parentingā¦
the struggles of a baby waking in the night,
the toddler who wonāt stay in their bed, the cost of childcare, injuries from sportsā¦
Having to take off work to pick them up from school when they donāt feel well, helping them with homework, a messy house, the never ending laundry, the cost to buy school clothes, packing their lunchesā¦
You watch their eyes light up on Christmas morningā¦ and try to soak in the magic of those moments.
You coach them in sports, rushing to practices and ballgamesā¦
and tote them all over the country to let them play the game they loveā¦
no matter how exhausting or expensive it becomes.
Life is just so busy that you rarely even stop to think what the end of those days look like.
In fact, itās not really even something you can wrap your mind around.
You go into it thinking that 18-20 years sounds like a long timeā¦
Then suddenly hours turn into daysā¦
days into monthsā¦
and months into years.
That little person that used to crawl up next to you in bed and cuddle up to watch cartoonsā¦
suddenly becomes this young adult who hugs you in the hallway as they come and go.
And the chaos and laughter that used to echo throughout your homeā¦
gets filled with silence and solitude.
Youāve learned how to parent a child who needs you to care for and protect themā¦
but have no clue how the whole āletting goā thing is supposed to work.
So you hold on as tight as you canā¦
wondering how time passed so quicklyā¦
feeling guilty that you missed somethingā¦
Because even though you had 20 yearsā¦
it just somehow doesnāt seem like it was enough.
You ask yourself so many questionsā¦
Did you teach them the right lessons?
Did you read them enough books as a child?
Spend enough time playing with them?
How many school parties did you have to miss?
Do they really know how much you love them?
What could I have done better as a parent?
ā¦.When itās time for them to go, it all hits you like a ton of bricks.
And all you can do is prayā¦
hopeā¦
and trust that God will protect them as they start to make their way into the world alone.
Parenting is by far the most amazing experience of your lifeā¦
that at times leaves you exhilaratedā¦
while others leave you heartbroken.
But one thing is certainā¦
itās never enough timeā¦š
So for all the parents with young childrenā¦
whose days are spent trying to figure out how to make it through the madnessā¦
Exhausted day in and day outā¦
Soak. It. All. In.
Because one dayā¦
all those crazy days full of cartoons, snuggles, sleep overs, Christmas morning magic, ballgames, practices and late night dinnersā¦
All come to an end.
And youāre left hoping that you did enough right, so that when they spread their wingsā¦
Theyāll flyā¦ššš
Credit to the Amazing Author:
@MistyBrewerLee
Personally, the hardest part about parenting is letting go š
Get back to taking care of SELF!! 