Perhaps there’s something about this time of year that’s causing me to be a bit more sentimental. Or maybe it’s simply a job hazard of motherhood. Last week I wrote this post after attending Peter Pan with my son. This week, I’m sharing my thoughts about treasuring childhood over at The Organized Parent. Here’s a taste:
Every time I zip my two year-old into the same jacket I swear my seven year-old was wearing two seconds ago, I am struck by how quickly my boys are growing up. I stop and look at how much they’ve changed. I think of the skills they’ve mastered, the fears they’ve overcome, and the challenges yet to be conquered. I get a little nostalgic.
It isn’t that I actually want to go backward, but I don’t want to rush through it either. Sometimes, I just want to press pause and fully enjoy where we are right now. Every single day.
I finally picked up a book a friend of mine has been recommending for years. The Gift of an Ordinary Day, by Katrina Kenison, is a beautiful reminder to stop wishing away the mundane and find the joy and power in the everyday, ordinary, and ultimately magical moments of childhood and parenthood. (You can get a taste of the book from the author’s reading here. You might want to grab some tissues before you click.)
A passage from the book comes to my mind over and over again, reminding me to keep things in perspective:
Thanks! I loved your article.
What a beautiful reminder to cherish the mundane moments … those WILL be the ones I miss when they are grown. I also loved the ideas on how kids can chronicle their own “moments.” Thank you!
My girls are spending the week between the holidays at their Nana’s house. Usually about mid-week I really start to miss them, after the shine of silence & solitude disappears. After reading these posts & watching the video my heart aches knowing they are so far away. It will just have to be a reminder to get all my errands & tasks done so I can enjoy those every day moments upon their return. I reserved the book from the library & am excited to read it. Thanks for the eye opening post/video.