Unpopular

I’m about to say something that’s certainly not popular to say today.

I will never wish for my babies back. I don’t want babies again. I will never be sad about watching my children grow.

I will never look at my teenaged or adult child and be sad that they’ve grown into independent people.

Might get tired of their smart mouths.  Might wish for less attitude.  But hey…the apple doesn’t ever fall far.

I will never regret watching my children grow.  Some of us don’t get the privilege.

I didn’t have kids and raise a family to wish for babies back.  Sure they’re cute and certainly sweet and we made amazing memories when we had littles. But I don’t want those days back.  The work is hard.  The sleep is always short and truthfully — I like my big kids better.  Ope.

I hope if you think you want your kids to be babies forever you remember this: Your identity doesn’t live in your child - dressing them cute, sharing milestones, having people comment on how cute they are, watching the world through their eyes - that’s not your identity.  That’s your opportunity in the moment.  That’s your amazing privilege as a parent at a point in time.  But if living through your children is how you define yourself - one day you won’t know who you are.

My hope is I always have shared interests with my kids.  And that together we get to live life.  That they see me as a person far more than just as a parent figure.  And that one day they chase their wildest dreams knowing that’s just how their momma did it.