They will forever be your baby, no matter how old they become. It’s an unbreakable bond, and you can’t help but see them as your little ones. Yes, they may demand more independence as teenagers, and even more so as adults, proudly declaring their age and rights, but in your mind, they’ll always be that tiny child who looked up at you with wonder. You can’t shake that vision. It’s an almost universal truth among parents: no matter how much they grow, our kids will always be our babies.
I recall my own teenage years, desperately seeking freedom, and then during my college days, yearning for even more. I was no longer a child! Why, oh why, did my parents still treat me like one? I was a woman, fierce and independent! At 18, I was a full-fledged adult, right? All I wanted was for my mom to recognize that.
Yet, despite my protests, my mom continued to hover. I’d wonder why she couldn’t just let go. I was capable of handling life on my own, thank you very much! But her concern about my whereabouts, who I was with, and what I was doing felt stifling. “Mom, I’m not a child anymore! Why do you still see me that way?” I would ask, and her reply was always the same: “I know you’re not. But in my heart, you’ll always be my little girl. One day you’ll understand.”
Just the other day, I was chatting with my son, now off at college. Well, it was more of a text exchange about his life. (I’ve resigned myself to the fact that texting is the only way he wants to communicate.) And let me tell you, it takes incredible restraint to step back and let your older kids navigate their own lives. I want to know every detail, but I know I have to hold back.
When he casually mentioned he went off campus, my heart raced. He what? OFF CAMPUS?! I could hardly breathe. “How did you get there? Did you go alone? Isn’t it dark?” I fired off my questions.
“Mom, chill! A group of us took an Uber. No big deal,” he reassured me.
But as I tried to calm my racing heart, I couldn’t shake the image of my little boy, vulnerable and wandering a busy street at dusk. I still saw him as a child. And the moment he mentioned leaving campus, he transformed back into that innocent little boy in my mind. I found myself wanting to call my mom and say, “I get it now.”
I understand why when I say I’m heading to the store late at night, my mom still warns me to be careful and park close. She doesn’t see a 44-year-old woman shopping; she sees a spunky 9-year-old girl twirling through a parking lot. I get it now.
Mom, you were right all along. No matter how old my kids become, how much taller they grow, or how far away they move, they will always remain my little boys. They might be 18, 28, 38, or even 58, but in my mind, they will eternally be 8. They could be married with their own children, yet they will always be my babies. I will forever see them as little in my heart and mind. It’s just what mothers do.
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In summary, no matter how old your children become, they will always be your little ones in your heart. This parental perspective continues to shape how we view and relate to our grown kids, and it’s a sentiment that transcends age.