Being a parent means navigating a never ending and unexpected myriad of adventures, emotions, celebrations and experiments; and at times living what can be deemed as both the best of and worst of days. It can be the toughest and the most blessed job in the world – so here’s 40 treasured child related moments guaranteed to leave a smile on your face, an acknowledging nod and a glow in your heart.
- Snuggling up close
- Feeling the warmth and energetic vibrations of their little bodies merging with yours
- Sticky little hands and chubby wrists gripping and holding you tight – as though their world depended on it
- Feeling their strong beating hearts fluttering against you
- Knowing that you are their everything
- Crying out only for you, and knowing nobody else but you can help them
- Picking them back up after they’ve fallen (physically or metaphorically)
- Empowering and reassuring them when another has emotionally hurt them
- Being the safe harbour when the world becomes too overwhelming and they need help regaining their bearings
- Drawing a picture, singing a song, making up a story, telling a joke for your entertainment only
- Doing whatever it takes to engage your full attention and watch your eyes light up and your smile spread from ear to ear
- Being privy to all their hopes and fears, secrets and vulnerabilities
- Encouraging and applauding their originality and creativity for the same task for the hundredth time
- Looking for your encouragement and approval that it is okay to be exactly as they are
- Every time they proclaim and express their love and gratitude for you (long may it last!)
- Colourful scribbles of unidentifiable objects, out of tune ditties with made up words, never ending stories that have no beginning, middle or end
- Repeating made up jokes that they find the hilarious (but make no sense to you!)
- Playing make believe, exercising your imagination and creativity and resurrecting your own inner child
- Being a single person engaged, enthusiastic and cheerleading audience like no other will ever be
- Being gifted hundreds of interesting facts that you probably already know
- Laying claim to being the raison d’etre of your child’s budding talents
- Being repeatedly informed and re-educated on topics such as the difference between each of the Disney princesses and Skylanders
- Having the privilege to play Santa, the tooth fairy, the elf on the shelf, and the Easter bunny
- The day they finally recognise that your way is the best way (for now!)
- Watching tongues slightly protruding from the lips, eyes glazing over and ears tuning out when utterly absorbed in a task
- Being totally occupied by something other than you
- Falling asleep on you
- FINALLY falling asleep on their own (although this can be a double edged sword!)
- Listening in on their conversations with friends on whose mummy or daddy is the best
- Knowing you will take on exalted challenges like a knight in shining armour, fighting any monsters or demons that may be lurking to keep them safe
- Hearing them say I love you for the first or the millionth time
- Listening to their ideas of what they will be like when they grow up
- Watching them earnestly attempt to dance and master their body movements
- Multiple happy birthday, Christmas and other special occasion cards, notes and letters created for you
- Their take on ‘helping’ you
- Telling you that you are the most beautiful, brave, amazing, special person ever
- Their idea of taking turns and rules when playing a game
- Fitting together puzzle pieces that don’t fit together
- Tidying up
- Knowing that no matter what came before – and what is to come after – it has all been worth it
Featured photo credit: beautiful little girl with her mother outdoors in Autumn via shutterstock.com
