Children’s Milestones Bring Mixed Emotions for Parents – Don’t be sad as your children grow – CELEBRATE the accomplishments! Many parents have moments of sadness and reminiscence as they watch their children grow and pass from one phase or milestone to the next. I’m one of those parents.
OAKLAND COUNTY MOMS BLOG ENTRIES
Children’s Milestones Bring Mixed Emotions for Parents
As I was thinking about each of the phases or milestones and how bittersweet it was as they pass and a new one comes into play, I was comforted by a thought. Each phase brings joyous moments. So, rather than miss one, I could look forward to the next.
For example, I truly enjoyed watching my children as toddlers and young students become “sponges” and quickly learn so many new things. It was amazing to see how eager and fast they could pick up things like numbers, letters, math facts and more.
When the next phase entered, i.e. upper elementary, I was blessed with seeing them discover their talents and true interests. In the previous phase, we signed our kids up for many different activities because it was still too difficult to determine what they were best at, what they enjoyed the most, etc. Now, we’ve finally got their top three best activities – so our time and money is spent more effectively and watching them do these activities and improve at them is truly enjoyable.
Then there’s the middle school era. A beautiful achievement at this phase is the growth in their relationships with friends. What used to be more basic, casual and surface-like has now become much deeper. Their interactions and conversations are at an all new level, and they’re really learning how to communicate, treat others with respect, etc. There’s so much that is special about seeing your child have these skills, maturity, and true friendships.
As children enter their final years of school and look forward to graduation, I’ve seen how parents have a multitude of emotions – relief, gratitude, pride… Some parents feel like they’ve finally made it through the milestones and achievements and can take a breather. Sure, we’ll continue to worry about them for the rest of our lives, but there’s something about this phase that allows parents a moment of relief. I’ve seen my siblings so grateful for all the hard work their kids put into school and how it has brought them success and college opportunities. And, of course, there’s a pride like no other (at least not yet).
And then, as parents we get to experience an amazing journey as our children get married and have children of their own. Thankfully, I can’t speak on these yet either! But, I can see what a joyous experience this is when I watch my parents engage with my children. It’s completely different from when they raised me, and it’s a whole new sentiment and experience to be a grandparent.
I feel better knowing that there will always be something that will touch our hearts in every phase as we watch our children grow. Children’s Milestones Bring Mixed Emotions for Parents So, no more sadness – and on to more celebrations.
