I hear many moms say that they don’t want their kids to grow up. They hold their squishy babies tight and lament every milestone reached because it means their child is that much close to adulthood. There’s even a popular children’s book titled, “If I Could Keep You Little.”
I can somewhat understand where they’re coming from. Young children and babies have a sweet innocence to them. Their faces are soft and kissable. Their smiles are genuine. They love so freely. I look at my own kids and sometimes I think that I love them at their age so much that I don’t want them to grow up and leave me.
But when I really think about it, I honestly can’t wait for them to grow up. Sure, life is great now, but there’s so much to look forward to. At the young ages of three and five, my children are already beginning to show glimpses of who they will become as adults.
I see that my son is passionate and intelligent. I see how much he loves constructing with Lego blocks and enjoys reading. I see that he is incredibly loyal. I wonder how all these little parts of his personality and interests will come together.
I look at my daughter and I see how sweet and loving she is. I marvel at how imaginative she is. And I see how she loves to make everyone laugh. How will all these traits come together to form the adult she will be?
I see greatness and potential in my children and I can’t wait to see how they harness their talents, skills, and personalities to do great things in this world.
I also can’t wait to see what hobbies and interests they will pick up in the future. Will my daughter continue to play soccer into her teenage years? Will my son learn to play guitar like his dad? Will they become artists and performers? Will they pursue academic endeavors? And what about college? I want to see what they will choose to study and what careers they will aim for. I have dreams for my children, but I’m more interested to hear what their dreams are. I want to cheer them on as they chase their dreams. I want to watch them grow and blossom.
And if I’m completely honest, I’m looking forward to the day my kids are grown and out of the house. I love them immensely and I love spending my days with them; but I really want to see them launch into fully functioning adults with lives of their own. I don’t need to spend the rest of my life catering to their wants and needs. I don’t want to always have to worry about what they will eat, if they will get out the door on time, if they have brushed their teeth. I want to live my own life again without always having to worry about them. The day they leave my house to take on the world as full-fledged grown ups will be a happy day. Sure, I will miss them, but who says missing someone is a bad thing? More than missing them, I will feel immense pride and satisfaction that I (along with their dad) was able to raise two contributing members to society.
I get that future isn’t always promised. And I get that the world can be a scary place. But I also understand that not everyone has the luxury and joy of seeing their kids grow up. Instead of grieving each year that passes, I will celebrate them. Again, my children hold incredible potential within themselves, and I get to have a front row seat at seeing how that potential is realized.