“Believe it or not, you actually start to genuinely like them!!?? Hang on, trust me. 🙂 “
I copied this from a text I sent recently to a parent of both a toddler and a newborn. I remember, at that stage, people used to say to me things like, “enjoy this, you’re going to miss this time with your babies” and “this is the happiest time in your life!”.
And I wanted to punch them in the face.
I have found, that while well-meaning, they. were. wrong.
Ok, yes, babies are cute and sweet and I miss my cuddly baby boys sometimes…
Oh, but how I love today…
I love homeschooling in the hammock.
Read-aloud books with only pictures painted in your mind.
Bike races down the driveway instead of chasing toddlers from room to room.
My very own warm plate of food that no one else eats off of.
There is a season for everything.
But this one, this is my favorite…so far.
So, to the parent who is in the throes of meltdowns and tantrums (theirs AND yours), mess and clutter, middle of the night prayers and pleas into the darkness, “I love you’s” whispered into tiny, uncomprehending ears and slimy hugs and kisses…
From a Mama who is about 10 whole seconds ahead of you, remember:
- Apologize often and sincerely after those tantrums and meltdowns…because one day, they will too.
- Hold their hand. Let them help you pick up the mess…because one day, they will too.
- Pray over them. With them. For them…because one day, they will too.
- Lavish the “I love you’s” and the hugs and kisses…because one day, they will too.
Tonight at bedtime, you will wrestle and struggle and try to force them to sit still long enough for you read them a bible story because…dang it…you are trying to fulfill your “spiritual parenting duty”.
But one day you will go to your kid’s bedside (that he got into all by himself…and stayed there!! – praise God from whom all blessing flow!!) to say goodnight and bless him and he will be reading the bible. The actual bible…choosing the entire New Testament as his summer reading incentive instead of the list of picture books from the library. And you will cry mammoth tears and wonder where this half infant baby/half lanky teenager came from…
Every season is hard and exhausting in its own way. I’m sorry, you are tired, and hungry, and maybe a little softer around the middle, and struggling to make ends meet, and… well, just burnt out.
But hang on.
Savor this sweet time with your babies, but know that in a moment you will blink, and they will be one day closer to becoming your friend.
So hang on…
I will too. <3
Thanks for the encouragement. We’re certainly in the mess and chaos stage. I loved my babies when they were tiny but I’m enjoying having sleep now that they’re a bit bigger. Perhaps soon we’ll be able to use logic and reasoning instead of “because I said so!”