Contrary to the popular opinion of most parents, I’m thankful my children are growing up.
Recently when my wife and I were traveling, we had a chance to watch a family with their young kids at the airport. I was reminded of the trips we took just a few short years ago – pushing strollers, hauling large amounts of baby gear through airports, installing car seats in rental cars and making sure hotel rooms had cribs or pack n’ plays available. Now when we travel, our kids wheel their own suitcases through the airport. Heck, my wife and I even give them their own row in the airplane while we sit across the aisle.
Seeing this airport family got me thinking, what else do I no longer have to do now that my kids are older? Well, now that we no longer have babies, it’s been years since I’ve changed a diaper in the trunk of my car in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. I can now also see and retrieve the food in our freezer since it no longer houses hundreds of ounces of frozen breastmilk.
Now that our kids all ride bikes, I was finally able to donate the bike trailer that I used to pull them around in for years and years. This is no small thing, because that bike trailer seemed to weigh about a hundred pounds when the kids were in it and felt like I was pulling a parachute behind me when the wind wasn’t blowing in our favor.
So next time someone asks you if you’re sad your kids are growing up, think before you respond. Your answer may surprise you.
-Pete
