Groundhog
jasonleow • 20 Aug 2024 •
Life as a parent:
So tired you constantly craving rest, but not wanting to miss a moment, always aching for more moments.
I whine about the challenge of parenting. But I’m also constantly contradicting myself, doing the opposite. Of wanting to stay forever in this moment.
This moment:
Waking up. Meditate. Coffee. Deep work. Silence. Kid walks in. Heart gladdens. Walk to school. Kiss goodbye. Exercise. Breakfast. More deep work. Lunchbox delivery to school. Lunch. More coffee. More work. Fetch kiddo from school. Nap. Finish work. Dinner. wash. Family circle time. Sleep.
I want to do this every day.
Day after day.
Month after month.
Year after year.
Weird request, I know. Like some sort of groundhog day for parenting. The tesseract in Interstellar. I want to bottle up this moment, live and relive it forever.
I know this life stage with my kid is short. So sooo short. Wasn’t it yesterday that he was just born, after 31 long hours of labour in the calm of our home? Today he’s already 4. In a flash he will be 12, in his teens, and will prefer the company of his peers, not us. By staying home and doing this again and again, I get to enjoy this precious window with him, together with my wife.
I’ve changed.
If you asked me if I ever imagined wanting to stay home, work and parent in the same daily routine for a decade, I would laugh in your face. I used to be bored of doing the same thing after just a day or two.
Now I want to do it forever.
Parent life.
Comments
@drodol Thanks for the confirmation, that my thinking is the right choice.
Wow your 14yo is so independent. Kudos. But can imagine it’s hard to see your baby leaving the nest… 😥
Yes!!! In Denmark kids are raised to be very independent. In school they are taught to handle workshop tools, and even have cooking lessons from a young age. Overall, Danish society favors early emancipation, and parents are ok (some even desperate or very willing) to “get rid of” their kids ASAP. My Latinamerican mind cannot comprehend this.
Please do savour these days. My 14 y.o. is wanting to spend less time with us, and already thinking and talking about moving out and going to boarding school in Denmark with his friends, and then live on his own.
This is too much! I am not ready for this! 😥