You hear it all the time, mostly from older folks whose kids are now grown:
- "enjoy it now, they grow up so fast"
- "it'll be over before you know it"
- "seems like just yesterday"
Of course, we know this is true. Life really is short. And time flies, whether you're having fun or not. The question for us parents is this: when you're in the throes of a 2-year-old's tantrum or a 5-year-old's constant ignoring of your repeated requests or an 8-year-old's disrespectful backtalking (or likely all three at once), how DO you "enjoy it"? Like my own Dad said recently, it's like someone telling you to enjoy a root canal because it'll be over soon.
One way to enjoy it more is to not take life so seriously. When your day becomes overwhelming, step back, take a deep breath, force a smile (and even a laugh) and remember this quote:
"Life is a game in which the rules are constantly changing; nothing spoils a game more than those who take it seriously." (Quentin Crisp)
And as it turns out, those "older folks" are right. They do grow up so fast. My oldest son Devon (less than one year in the video above) is entering 4th grade this Fall. 9 years in the blink of an eye. Now nicknamed "JJ" for Jabber Jaws, I can hardly remember ever having to urge him to "say something"! Yes, they do grow up fast.
