Big kids are awesome.
When I was a baby, I thought thatwas all there was. You can wear them, cuddle them, have them nap on your body, and make other people go ohh, aww, at your precious child. The Best.
I remember thinking that it was far away when I saw friends with elementary-aged children. I secretly wondered if their wish was to be back when they were babies.
How could anything be better than cute babies?
We all know that time does not slow down, and so I suddenly find myself with two amazing big kids, aged 11 and 8. The younger me gives the present-me an sympathetic look with wide-eyed eyes and asks “do you still miss your babies?”
Yes, in some ways. I will always treasure the baby stages. The toddler stage. The preschool stage. There are challenges in each stage, but there are also adorable benefits. Another part of me, however, wants to shout out loud: Don’t be afraid that your children will grow older. BIG KIDS are awesome. Why?
They are curious and considerate about the world. They notice things that you may have forgotten about years ago.
The big kids will engage you in a conversation about why things are as they are. They encourage you to ask questions and find answers, such as what percentage of air we breath is oxygen?
They can take care of most of their own physical needs. They can take care of their physical needs. It is possible that you will not realize how much mental work you have until you are no longer required to do so.
The big kids can be helpful by helping with the dishes, walking the dog or sweeping the floors, prepping vegetables, and doing their own laundry.
You don’t need to plan your life around feeding or nap schedules when you have big kids. You can grab food easily and you can push bedtimes later without consequences. Freedom is just as amazing as you imagined.
There is a sweet spot (so I’m told; we’ll see how long it lasts) when your kids are really fun to be around em>and /em>want to be around you. It’s a great time (we’ll see if it lasts long) when your children are fun to be with , andthey love to be with you.
Traveling with big kids is a lot of fun because they are so curious about the world. It’s magical to travel with them and see the world from their perspective. They can also carry their own luggage.
You can help your older child pursue their interests. Watch their faces light up as they master that new code, achieve that goal or nail that chord on the guitar.
The big kids can buckle themselves and do not need car seats. How many errands can you run if your family can jump in and out the car with you quickly? What if you could travel without car seats and simply hop into an Uber?
They can keep up physically with you. You can walk with them or wakeboard with them.
You can also play games with big kids. They can beat you in Catan and Spades, not just mindless Candyland.
It’s fun to watch big kids play sports. It’s cute to see little kids running around, but it’s more interesting to watch a game in which both teams know where they should be going.
The older kids will ask you thoughtful questions. They want to know how life was when you were a child, how your dad and you met, and what you did for a living. Reflecting on your life through the curious eyes of a child is a great way to learn about yourself.
It just gets better. These early years are precious. Cherish them (or just survive – we all have different ages and stages that we prefer). Don’t worry about your children getting older.
In this crazy ride of motherhood, I have found it helpful to try to embrace each stage and age as it comes. Breathe deeply during the difficult moments and enjoy the sweet ones.