When I first started blogging, I remember there was a first day of school photo that went viral. It pictured two little kids frowning while holding up their “first day of school” signs, while their mom jumped for joy in the background. The implication being that moms crave time to themselves, having the kids home all day every day in the summer is HELL, ergo, the first day of school is a day to be celebrated. It’s the day parents get their freedom back.
I love your thoughts near the end on the goal of parenting. Really hits home. Such a wonderful feeling to truly enjoy the people your children are becoming!
OMG I completely relate to this one. My kids are 14, 11, and 7 and we are FINALLY to a point where our vacations actually feel like vacations (mostly) and where hanging out with them is genuinely a good time. I mean I won't say that I don't enjoy the quiet work time when they are in school. Because I truly do. But I also feel like these are the best ages. They are legitimately fun and funny. And now that my oldest is in high school I really feel the passing of each summer in a way I didn't when they were toddlers.
I also have 9 and 12 year old girls so I can relate! Both kids are at a really nice age. However, I'm a stay at home mom with no help and my husband works a lot so it's mostly just me spending all the time with the girls so I'm still ready for them to go back to school!
I'm still knee deep in toddlerville over here and sway between can't wait to go back to work after the weekend to wish we had one more day. Dinner time is fun because I'm lucky enough to have a toddler who loves What we eat and who for some reason is actually picking up on table manners. Last night as we were going around the table talking about our day my son interrupted my husband and we gently reminded him we wait our turn (most days he keeps going anyway and we let him cause he's 3 and we made our point which is to plant the seed) but last night he acknowledged it and waited. My husband finished up his sentence and we went back to my son to see what he wanted to say and weigh the cutest face and smile he put down his food, said "OK.....I FORGOT" we all laughed and then just kept going. I remember thinking in that moment this is fun, Wednesday night family dinner. Then I read your post this morning and I got excited for you and future me!
The joy you're having as a mom, wife and
woman right now is palatable through your summer stories and posts. You're doing adult things while your kids do cool kid things and doing cool things with your kids while enjoying adults! I'm not surprised at all to hear that you'd love more summer.
Mine are approaching 5 and 2. Im loving every moment (you know, within reason!) and am so excited for the the days you are experiencing- can’t wait to all ski and sushi dinner together. Your girls seem so sweet. Much love!
This post speaks to my soul! When you are in the early stages of parenting you feel like you will never be able to reach this new level of child rearing. Sometimes I feel like I am getting closer with my 6 and 7 year old but then I still have a toddler and baby that prohibit me from fully relaxing and enjoying my time during an outing. But it's a work in progress. Anyways, I love that you and your husband took advantage of the situation and invited your girls to join you. It sounded like an amazing night of family bonding. One to which I hope to achieve sometime in the near future with my own family!
Love reading about the sushi restaurant...was theHarry Styles sushi soundtrack on too? HA Sadly, my kids are exactly the same age as Ilana's, but 12 yo boy and 9 yo girl and they are NOT getting along right now. Together time has not been as great as it was when they were buddies a few years back. I always loved the older bro, younger sis dynamic, but they are not in a good phase right now and I hope with all my heart this changes. We are a family of adventurers in many ways, and I hope we have some summer and experiences before they are too old where family together time is enjoyable again. This was NOT that summer. Individually, I adore the time with each kiddo and their personalities...but I was the mom excited for school to start this year. booo hooo...for now, I hope! I welcome advice from anyone in a similar boat with their kiddos at each other's throats!
We’re not quite there with my younger kid yet but I’m having so many moments like this my 13 daughter. I just love hanging out with her. We have a trip together planned in January and we already talk about future trips we want to do together!
My daughter just turned 9, and these are all similar feelings I had this summer. She’s more of a “person” than she’s ever been before, and I can’t wait for next summer already. 💗 and I totally agree with @jessicabrien - love your words and thoughts at the end. Those are definitely my #parentgoals.
Yes! I've always said my goal as a parent is just to create nice people because that's what the world needs. I have 6 and 3 year old boys. Right now, I'm loving their ages, but am definitely craving the period when they don't need us as much to entertain them and can go off and be more independent.
I love this post. It makes me feel excited for the future (not that I wasn't already, but more so). I'm knee keep in toddler & pre-school age with my two kids. They're home all day being watched by my husband as he attempts to job hunt, and I'm working from home. We're together all the time right now and it's HARD. We try to get them outside playing and around other people as much as possible, but everything is so draining right now it seems. We don't get a break. I'm really looking forward to when they're a bit more independent, or when they're back in school/day care (get a job, husband!!). But I know we'll eventually get there so I try to appreciate and absorb as much of these little ages as possible. My kids are darn cute right now, learning and exploring so much, they're happy, good, playful kids, and I'm lucky to be their mom. But man, some times are harder than others, as I know we've all experienced.
My girls are 11 and 8 and I relate to this completely. My eldest loves one on one time with me watching Modern Family before bed, my youngest still loves cuddles with mum and day trips are so much easier. There's less stuff to take, (we can just walk out the door!) they can go to the local playpark without me to hang out with friends while I work from home, we can all take part in activities together, they can handle late nights when we all have nights out at family friends' houses (like you, we still love nights hanging out with our quarantine bubble) and as you say, they are just loads of fun to spend time with. I am treasuring this phase before the teenage years kick in as I know I'll get less time with them then.
I love your thoughts near the end on the goal of parenting. Really hits home. Such a wonderful feeling to truly enjoy the people your children are becoming!
OMG I completely relate to this one. My kids are 14, 11, and 7 and we are FINALLY to a point where our vacations actually feel like vacations (mostly) and where hanging out with them is genuinely a good time. I mean I won't say that I don't enjoy the quiet work time when they are in school. Because I truly do. But I also feel like these are the best ages. They are legitimately fun and funny. And now that my oldest is in high school I really feel the passing of each summer in a way I didn't when they were toddlers.
I also have 9 and 12 year old girls so I can relate! Both kids are at a really nice age. However, I'm a stay at home mom with no help and my husband works a lot so it's mostly just me spending all the time with the girls so I'm still ready for them to go back to school!
I'm still knee deep in toddlerville over here and sway between can't wait to go back to work after the weekend to wish we had one more day. Dinner time is fun because I'm lucky enough to have a toddler who loves What we eat and who for some reason is actually picking up on table manners. Last night as we were going around the table talking about our day my son interrupted my husband and we gently reminded him we wait our turn (most days he keeps going anyway and we let him cause he's 3 and we made our point which is to plant the seed) but last night he acknowledged it and waited. My husband finished up his sentence and we went back to my son to see what he wanted to say and weigh the cutest face and smile he put down his food, said "OK.....I FORGOT" we all laughed and then just kept going. I remember thinking in that moment this is fun, Wednesday night family dinner. Then I read your post this morning and I got excited for you and future me!
The joy you're having as a mom, wife and
woman right now is palatable through your summer stories and posts. You're doing adult things while your kids do cool kid things and doing cool things with your kids while enjoying adults! I'm not surprised at all to hear that you'd love more summer.
Mine are approaching 5 and 2. Im loving every moment (you know, within reason!) and am so excited for the the days you are experiencing- can’t wait to all ski and sushi dinner together. Your girls seem so sweet. Much love!
This post speaks to my soul! When you are in the early stages of parenting you feel like you will never be able to reach this new level of child rearing. Sometimes I feel like I am getting closer with my 6 and 7 year old but then I still have a toddler and baby that prohibit me from fully relaxing and enjoying my time during an outing. But it's a work in progress. Anyways, I love that you and your husband took advantage of the situation and invited your girls to join you. It sounded like an amazing night of family bonding. One to which I hope to achieve sometime in the near future with my own family!
Love reading about the sushi restaurant...was theHarry Styles sushi soundtrack on too? HA Sadly, my kids are exactly the same age as Ilana's, but 12 yo boy and 9 yo girl and they are NOT getting along right now. Together time has not been as great as it was when they were buddies a few years back. I always loved the older bro, younger sis dynamic, but they are not in a good phase right now and I hope with all my heart this changes. We are a family of adventurers in many ways, and I hope we have some summer and experiences before they are too old where family together time is enjoyable again. This was NOT that summer. Individually, I adore the time with each kiddo and their personalities...but I was the mom excited for school to start this year. booo hooo...for now, I hope! I welcome advice from anyone in a similar boat with their kiddos at each other's throats!
We’re not quite there with my younger kid yet but I’m having so many moments like this my 13 daughter. I just love hanging out with her. We have a trip together planned in January and we already talk about future trips we want to do together!
My daughter just turned 9, and these are all similar feelings I had this summer. She’s more of a “person” than she’s ever been before, and I can’t wait for next summer already. 💗 and I totally agree with @jessicabrien - love your words and thoughts at the end. Those are definitely my #parentgoals.
This made me cry. SO beautifully written and well said.
This was such a beautiful read! I'm not a parent but if I was, I could only hope to have the same type of relationship you have with your girls!
Loved this. And feeling optimistic about the future. At 3 and 8 we are a little way off, good to know there’s light at the end of the tunnel!
Yes! I've always said my goal as a parent is just to create nice people because that's what the world needs. I have 6 and 3 year old boys. Right now, I'm loving their ages, but am definitely craving the period when they don't need us as much to entertain them and can go off and be more independent.
What a perfect tribute to parenting <3
I love this post. It makes me feel excited for the future (not that I wasn't already, but more so). I'm knee keep in toddler & pre-school age with my two kids. They're home all day being watched by my husband as he attempts to job hunt, and I'm working from home. We're together all the time right now and it's HARD. We try to get them outside playing and around other people as much as possible, but everything is so draining right now it seems. We don't get a break. I'm really looking forward to when they're a bit more independent, or when they're back in school/day care (get a job, husband!!). But I know we'll eventually get there so I try to appreciate and absorb as much of these little ages as possible. My kids are darn cute right now, learning and exploring so much, they're happy, good, playful kids, and I'm lucky to be their mom. But man, some times are harder than others, as I know we've all experienced.
My girls are 11 and 8 and I relate to this completely. My eldest loves one on one time with me watching Modern Family before bed, my youngest still loves cuddles with mum and day trips are so much easier. There's less stuff to take, (we can just walk out the door!) they can go to the local playpark without me to hang out with friends while I work from home, we can all take part in activities together, they can handle late nights when we all have nights out at family friends' houses (like you, we still love nights hanging out with our quarantine bubble) and as you say, they are just loads of fun to spend time with. I am treasuring this phase before the teenage years kick in as I know I'll get less time with them then.