Tri-Moms: The Joys and Fears of Children Growing Older

This week the Tri-Moms are discussing the joys and fears of our children growing older.

Most days, while I'm deep in the trenches of babyhood, toddlerhood and preschoolhood, I feel like I'm running a never ending day care. But, I know that soon these days of spit up stains and shoe tying will be over.

My mom reminds me often that "The days are long, but the years are short."

Oh, how true. Right now, most days feel almost doubled in hours. Not, of course that I'm able to get double the amount of tasks crossed off of my to do list, but instead as if there are double the meals to fix, double the diapers to change, double the fights to referee, double the hearts to mold, double the spills to wipe up and double the questions to answer.

But, when I finally get all four little ones to bed, (and my better half is hard at work) and the house is quiet for the first time all day, I'm able to look back and see how quickly the day flew past. That's when I start to feel a certain tug of urgency. I know I don't really have that much time. Yes, my oldest is only 4 and a half, but when I think about how the time has flown by since she was born I realize that the next 4 and a half years will fly by as well, and probably even more quickly than the last.

Soon, their characters will be set, their tendencies and attitudes molded, and their eyes fixed on a prize.

I pray everyday that the prize will be the cause of Christ.

Am I looking forward to the day when everyone can fasten their own seat belt, zip their own jackets, and fall asleep without any help from me? You bet!

But I'm also afraid that when that day finally comes, I'll realize that every season of parenting has it's own share of difficulties. I'll be trading in wiping hands and faces for helping them choose good friends and cleaning up spills for cleaning up laziness or bad attitudes.

I'll also be just a little closer to the day when they no longer need our moment by moment watch and our daily direction. The day they are ready to leave home to face the world on their own.

I pray they'll be ready...and that I will be, too.

What are you looking forward to as your children grow older? What aspects of their growing up scare you just a little?

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Visit my fellow Tri-Moms, Kristin @ Bits and Pieces From My Life and Christy @ A Living Homeschool and read how they involve their whole family in the education process. 

Up next: October 18

  Traveling with children

Fall Schedule of Topics

November 1: Thanksgiving crafts and recipes

November 15: Teaching the meaning of Thanksgiving

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