Embracing Change As A Parent

The only thing constant is change, or so they say; maybe they were referring to parenting. As it seems as if, the moment you feel like you have it somewhat figured out, something comes along to shake it. This week on the blog, I attempt to sort through my thoughts on the ever changing world that is parenting. Have a read and let me know if I am alone in my thoughts.

There are places in the heart you don’t even know exist until you love a child.

Anne Lamott

People say it often, time flies, but I don’t know if I ever really understood this until I became a parent. One minute you are holding a fully dependent baby in your arms and what seems like the next you’re chatting to a fully autonomous, miniature version of you, packed with personality and an opinion. I feel like I have whiplash or that I have been conned. When did my daughter grow up so fast?!? And when did I have to have some tough, open and raw conversations with her?! Was she not born last week?! 😩

Slow down time, let me have this moment. Forever.

Recognizing that she will be 9 at the closing of the year has not only hit me with a panic attack but also with one of the BIGGEST conversations I know I will have to have with her…puberty. And let me tell you, it has genuinely filled me with worry- not because it makes me uncomfortable but mostly because I feel like her childhood bubble will burst and well, there’s no going back from there. She is still young, I can hear it when her imagination wanders or when she gets easily distracted and even though it can be frustrating to get her to focus on a task, it’s still kind of cute to witness. A part of me wants to preserve that for a little bit longer. Am I being foolish? Time is a funny thing, we’re always rushing it in order to jump to a set time or event and then we’re also always looking back at past good times. It’s hard to strike the balance and fully engage and embrace the present. But at the end of the day, with all of the constant changes, the one thing we know for sure as a parent is the fact that change is constant, no one will remain the same- we evolve and the best thing for our children is to do the same.