Director’s Column: Living in the Moment, Even When it is Hard to Love Each Moment

This week, a parent and I were talking about how exhausting caring for little ones can be, how hard it is to get anything done, and how exciting it is when your baby finally becomes a toddler and you can actually put them down. Until they start to toddle away from you! I remember parents of older children telling me to cherish those moments. Now I AM one of those mothers and I DO miss those moments!

This morning, I put my 16-year-old daughter on an airplane headed to Florida for the next five days. The experience of sending her off on her own has raised many emotions in me… but, above all, anxiety!

I can’t lie, there are many things I love about having older children; no more babysitters, children who can wake up and fix their own breakfasts, being able to get an hour of work done without constant interruption...or worrying because there’s no interruption! Most of all, I love seeing my girls’ individual personalities emerge and seeing the beautiful, strong women they are growing into.

But, I do miss the cuddles, being the person they thought knew everything and could fix anything, how I was the center of their universe, and how much easier it was to watch over them and keep them safe.

I guess my advice is not necessarily to cherish these moments, but to live in each moment, knowing some things will get easier and other things will get harder. I promise that, even if it is hard to cherish the moments while you are in the midst of them, you will cherish the memories you have of your children at every stage of their lives!

Best,

Nina