Don't Wish Their Life Away

I tried to ignore my frustration as I mopped the floor for the third time. Or was it the fourth? My two-year-old loves to help me clean (he's a great helper), but I was tired of seeing little footprints and cracker crumbs on my freshly mopped floor. Between getting little to no sleep and listening to my toddler whine incessantly, all I wanted was a clean house (is that possible with kids?) to put me at ease.

I grumbled the rest of the day, thinking it will be so nice to have a clean house again...someday. Finally, I remembered something one of our church members said when she recently spoke to our congregation on Mother's Day: "Don't wish their life away".

It hit me like a ton of bricks. When I had my first born, I always said to myself "I can't wait until he can sit up" or "it will be so nice when he can feed himself", and so on. It's true that there will always be something to look forward to (they have so much to learn and accomplish throughout their childhood!), but I never took the time to truly cherish the season I was in. I'm still not doing it well and there's no denying that this is a tough season, but there are moments I need to stop and realize how fast they're growing up.

You don't need to feel happy when your newborn is wide awake at 3am or when your toddler is throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store. No one should be expected to think those are the sweetest, most precious moments you should cherish in your heart forever and always. But, always remember those moments are fleeting. Before you know it they'll be stepping onto the bus for their first day of kindergarten. In the blink of an eye they'll be walking across a stage to receive their high school diploma. You'll miss the times they wanted to be held when all you longed for was personal space. You'll miss the tiny footprints on your clean floors and the loud noises that once filled your home. You'll miss the way their faces lit up when they learned something new, such as putting on their own shoe or using a fork for the first time.

I've heard it a million times from empty-nested parents. I typically roll my eyes and think, "yeah, I get it, but it still sucks." It does suck,  no doubt about it. I sometimes find myself checking out and being present-less with my children, especially on the toughest of days. I don't want to go through life, through my children's childhoods, like it's a race. I want to be there, be interactive, be present.

Slow down and enjoy the season you're in. Instead of waiting for the time to pass, fill the time with lasting memories. You have so much to look forward to, but so much to enjoy today.

Don't wish their life away.