As my youngest, Timmy, started pre-K this past September, I found myself in a bit of a frenzy leading up to it. He’s my baby, my last child, and while I knew he’d love the thrill of “big kid” school, the thought of letting him go tugged at my heartstrings.
Miraculously, the first few weeks flew by without a hitch. No tears from either of us, which was a pleasant surprise—usually, I’m a complete emotional wreck. But then, this morning, something shifted.
After dropping Timmy off, I swung by the elementary school next door where my older son, Jake, goes. I stood there for a moment, watching the kids line up, feeling nostalgic. A familiar mom, Sarah, approached and asked, “Where’s your little guy?”
“Oh, he’s in pre-K now,” I replied.
“Wow, that happened quickly!” she commented. “I remember when you used to bring him here all bundled up in a carrier.”
In that instant, I felt the weight of his absence and the floodgates opened. I hadn’t realized until then how much I missed those days.
Walking home, I tried to hold back tears—unsuccessfully, I might add. For four years, I had strolled home from school drop-offs with Timmy by my side. As a baby, I’d carry him in a carrier, breathing in that sweet baby smell, even when he was screaming his little head off.
Then came the hand-holding years, when our five-minute walks stretched into 15 because toddlers simply don’t believe in rushing. They stop to pick up treasures like rocks and jump into every puddle, which can drive a parent nuts, right? But, oh, how beautiful it was to see him squatting down, mesmerized by a caterpillar crawling along the sidewalk.
As I walked, I realized I couldn’t remember our last stroll together. Had I even recognized it at the time? Why hadn’t I savored that moment? That’s the tricky part about parenting. You do things day in and day out, but suddenly, one day, it’s over. Some moments you cherish, others slip through your fingers unnoticed.
For the longest time, Jake would fall asleep holding my hand, but one day he just stopped, and I can’t pinpoint when that last moment was. Timmy had a quirky habit of tugging on my lips while nursing—it drove me nuts, yet it was his little ritual that I grew to love. It faded away so gradually that I don’t remember the last time he did it.
There are countless little things like that—those seemingly insignificant moments that become treasures once they’re gone. You might have thought your newborn would never sleep anywhere but on your chest or that they’d always need to be carried. But there was a last time for all of that, even if you didn’t realize it.
I strive to cherish every moment with my kids, but let’s face it, not every task feels rewarding. Some days, parenting feels like a never-ending loop of chaos. It’s only when you look back that you realize what you’ve lost.
I find solace in knowing there may be a day when Timmy is home sick, or school gets canceled. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to relive that last walk home with him after dropping off Jake. But even then, it won’t be quite the same.
Ultimately, we have to accept that we’ll miss some of those fleeting moments in our children’s lives. Their childhood whizzes by quicker than we can grasp. All we can do is take a deep breath and try to appreciate the present.
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Summary
Parenting is a whirlwind where everyday moments with kids can turn into bittersweet memories. From watching them grow to realizing you’ve missed the last time for simple routines, it’s essential to cherish each fleeting moment. As you navigate through these changes, resources are available to help you along the way.