Anamika took her newborn daughter to her mother’s home for the first time. The new Grandma was over cloud nine to welcome her granddaughter and left no stone unturned to welcome her. Seeing Anamika and the little princess together got her eyes moist. After all, fruits are more loved than the flowers. And then, she began to time travel…
Wasn’t it just yesterday when she herself got Anamika, her bundle of joy home? The way her eyes blinked, how that little mouth opened while yawning, that sweet newborn scent, they filled her life with sheer joy. She laughed at how silly it was then to be so restless, sometimes even irritated when Anamika used to keep her awake all night or how worried she used to get when her little girl used to get sick. The day she started to turn over in bed, she proclaimed how big her baby girl has become. The day baby ‘Anu’ started to crawl and eventually walk, she could not help but dance with joy. The day she first called her ‘Mumma’, she had a sea of emotions flowing through her eyes. The golden days!
But now, looking at Anamika with her own baby, she wondered if time had actually flown at god speed. Poof! And her daughter was herself a mom! Perhaps, it was time for her to teach her daughter a few motherhood lessons.
Does time really fly by in raising kids? Guess, it is probably more than that.
We often stress over what we are facing NOW. The hardships of giving birth, the physical and mental changes that it causes, the sleepless nights that the kid gives to you as a toddler or when it falls sick, its studies and homework worries as it grows older and so on. We are constantly wishing for that stressful time to pass by and pray, “Oh lord! Let my child and me pass this obstacle as soon as possible” Don’t us? We complain about minute worries like a child’s sneeze to humongous ones like it having an injury and wish it to pass by at rocket speed. And once it passes by and the child grows up, we again complain of time flying by just like that. WOAH!!
If you actually press the rewind button and microscopically reflect on those moments with your child, you will understand that each moment taught you so much and molded you as a parent and an individual. Your ‘baby’s delivery’ taught you how strong a mother can be, that ‘tending during sick nights’ made you bond with your baby, shape it up to grow strong and show how protective you are of it, those ‘getting the homework done’ sessions made you guide your child which is a critical part of parenting. Each moment with your child is precious as this time, this underrated bitter-sweet joy of parenting is not going to come back. Enjoy those sloppy toddler kisses even if it takes most of your time as tomorrow, you are going to crave for them. Cuddle them tiny, as much as you can because before you know they will outgrow your arms. Laugh, when she does something silly out of innocence. Those infant coos might make your nights longer but it’s going to pass with a blink of an eye. Everything else can wait, but your kid’s childhood, that innocence is not coming back. Hold these moments now before they vanish.
Stop fretting about the laundry; it can be done tomorrow. The adult outings can be done tomorrow, the long working hours can be managed, but the days of your child’s firsts cannot return. Spend most of your quality time with your baby NOW. Understand that, each and every day, minute and second of a parent-child relationship is based on the above mentioned moments. We might want them to pass by quickly but they are the key drivers and evolvers of the relationship. On reflecting back, we were probably having more fun with our children when they were younger, hence we should hug every moment with them alike.
Just live to the maximum of what you can with your child every day, in every situation, teaching and guiding them but also enjoying it. Be there, laugh with them and cherish every moment you can as tomorrow, they might fly into their own world
Taking the tiny plum in her lap, as the new Grandma waits to tell Anamika this golden advice, Anamika takes out the camera to click their picture and freeze time.
But time will pass at its speed.
Let the moments and the smile of your child dwell with you NOW!