Hello! Well, today’s post could also probably be more of a “Thursday Thoughts” situation, but it’s Tuesday, and this is what I have planned. 😆
Well, the fact that I feel like we are on the move 24/7 combined with the fact that in less than a week I will have two teenagers, the rapid pace at which time is flying is definitely weighing on my mind and on my heart.
I feel like I’m constantly thinking about how quickly time is flying by. Of course, we’ve all seen this quote:
Then, I saw this quote recently, and it, combined with an article Travis sent me last week really has me thinking about life, parenting, the kids growing up, and more.
I feel like sometimes I’m hypersensitive to trying to raise good kids. At school, of course, I see students with various backgrounds, learning needs, behaviors and more. I really try to help my own kids by setting an example, teaching them manners, encouraging them to do the right thing, and to always try their best.
My mom taught 7th grade Language Arts for 31 years. She would joke that when my brother and I were in middle school, those were some of her hardest years because she was around teens 24/7. I can now certainly now see why she felt that way.
My waking minutes go from wanting to spend quality time with my family, to creating memories, to helping with homework, to nagging about missing assignments. At the end of the day, I’m tired. I often feel like I’ve dropped the ball or fallen short somehow. Also, to be clear, my kids couldn’t be more different. I have to remember that and try to cater to their wants and needs while also encouraging them and talking to them. Y’all, parenting is not for the faint of heart.
Here’s the article Travis saw on Facebook:
*Sigh* This certainly hits home. It gives me all the feels. This quote was a lightbulb moment for me:
“I realized that it’s not time speeding up –it’s the amount of time I have with my kids each day is dwindling.” Seriously, it stopped me in my tracks.
It’s no newsflash that my kids are busy. Honestly, it’s better that they are busy, in my opinion. There’s a difference in being “burned out” or forced to do something they don’t want to do and being busy. That’s not the case with them. They are learning how to manage time, work with others, advocate for themselves, take risks, and more. That being said, because they are so busy, I do get less time with them. There are week nights where I get one hour at home with them, and they are usually doing homework.
I often feel like I blink and the weekend has passed. I also tend to live “season to season,” and it’s always so crazy to me when summer rolls around, and they are another year older. Also, it’s a blessing to experience so many events and milestones twice at the same time. That being said, I don’t get to do many things over again. For example, we only had one first day of Kindergarten. That also means once a chapter in life closes, it’s usually feels like a slammed door on their childhood without a younger sibling to keep a tradition or spirit alive. I’ve always wrestled with these thoughts, and it’s why I never hesitated to use a personal day to go on the pumpkin patch field trip or volunteer at field day. It’s why I celebrate birthdays big. It’s why I cling to traditions.
A few things:
To make myself feel better, I came up with a list of a few things I feel like we’re doing “right” in order to make the most of the time we have together as well as showing the kids how much we care.
- Have dinner together as often as possible: We have dinner together most nights. It just means I have to plan ahead, and I’m willing to do that if it means we can all sit at the dinner table together even if it’s not until 7:45 at night.
- Continue traditions: Busy schedule or not, I like to keep traditions alive. Some things happen more naturally like going to football games, but other things like going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, and seeing the Christmas lights at the Kentucky Horse Park are now more scheduled.
- Show up for them: We’ve been pretty lucky that even with Hayden and Hadley’s activities, we both can usually can make it to most everything. I want them to hear me clapping after they score a point. I want to be the one they see after a race or performance. I will cater my schedule to them, but they are also at the age where I’m able to offset that and run errands or workout at another time because they are old enough to be home alone or at an activity on their own.
- Encourage them: Travis and I both encourage the kids to try new things, push themselves, and advocate for themselves. Now is the time to “take risks” while they have the safety net of us at home.
- Celebrate effort, not just outcome: I want them to believe in themselves, set goals, and learn from mistakes whether that’s in the classroom, during a race, or on the volleyball court. I don’t mean that they need praised for everything, but I just mean I know when they are nervous or hesitant. So, when they’ve given their all and shown growth, I applaud that.
So…that’s just a little bit of my heart lately. I’m having a hard wrapping my brain around where these years have gone, but I know I’m not the only one in this boat.
Whether it’s the “Days are long…” quote or the Major’s (my dad) quote, “Time continues to haul a$$,” time sure feels fleeting.
That being said, it’s not lost on me that I have two happy and healthy kids. They aren’t perfect, nor are we as parents. We’re in this boat together…and to quote Coach Cal, “I like my team!”
We’ve gone from this:
…to this:
in no time!
Feel free to share your parenting tips with me! Why do I feel like I’m going to blink, and they’ll be driving…or tossing their graduation caps in the air?!
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