My "Slice of Life" Tuesday
"Raising children is like being pecked to death by chickens” was a sign prominently displayed in the kitchen at my mother-in-law’s. I remember reading this and being offended by its negative connotation toward children and I did not hesitate to share my feelings with her. She just smirked and there that sign remained, front and center! I did not have any of my own kids at the time. Fast forward about 5 years and along came my first child and all of the excitement that came with that little bundle of joy. I did not know you could love something so much! Three years later came my second bundle and all the wonders that come with having two children. There that sign loomed! I continued to share my dislike of that sign, until…
...the teenage years! I managed the temper tantrums, the “NO” stage, and the “mommy, mommy, mommy” stage. Then came the “why” stage, the “I can do it myself” stage, and the “I am too old for hugs in public” stage. But teenagers?! Nothing prepares you enough for this stage, except that sign on my mother-in-law’s wall! Don’t get me wrong, I love my children with all my heart, but parenting is not an easy task. You hope you make the right decisions along the way through all that "pecking" so that your child is ready to take on the challenges of life. And then one day you find yourself at that crossroad with your oldest child as he goes off to college. This, I can tell you, is more like the stomping of an elephant than the pecking of a chicken!
I know he is ready, but as a parent you question, will he make good choices? Will he go to class? Will he eat, sleep, be safe, and the list goes on, and on. You lose sleep as a parent over this stuff! Really! As I stood in the dorm helping him unpack, the weight of that elephant began to push on my body so much that my eyes became an endless source of water streaming like a faucet. And it is hard to stop! The feeling comes and goes in waves as you lose control of your emotions when you least expect it. This is not just a “mom thing” as it was equally emotional for dad! As for my son, he was ready to begin his journey. After spending two days with him making sure he was all set, we asked him if he wanted to go to breakfast with us the next morning before we headed home and his response was, “Nah! I’m good!” I knew that was it and that elephant pounded me! I lost it! Tears welled and I learned the true meaning of the song “You Can’t Cry Pretty” as I prepared to leave my first born at college. NOTHING prepares you for that moment as a parent.
I am proud that my son is ready for his “Journey to Begin”, as his response let us know that we did our job as parents, but it is still hard to let go and wonder what the future will hold. As for those chickens...they are still pecking, literally and figuratively, as we began raising chickens for eggs a few months ago and my daughter is now worried that 100% of our attention is now on her!
...the teenage years! I managed the temper tantrums, the “NO” stage, and the “mommy, mommy, mommy” stage. Then came the “why” stage, the “I can do it myself” stage, and the “I am too old for hugs in public” stage. But teenagers?! Nothing prepares you enough for this stage, except that sign on my mother-in-law’s wall! Don’t get me wrong, I love my children with all my heart, but parenting is not an easy task. You hope you make the right decisions along the way through all that "pecking" so that your child is ready to take on the challenges of life. And then one day you find yourself at that crossroad with your oldest child as he goes off to college. This, I can tell you, is more like the stomping of an elephant than the pecking of a chicken!
I know he is ready, but as a parent you question, will he make good choices? Will he go to class? Will he eat, sleep, be safe, and the list goes on, and on. You lose sleep as a parent over this stuff! Really! As I stood in the dorm helping him unpack, the weight of that elephant began to push on my body so much that my eyes became an endless source of water streaming like a faucet. And it is hard to stop! The feeling comes and goes in waves as you lose control of your emotions when you least expect it. This is not just a “mom thing” as it was equally emotional for dad! As for my son, he was ready to begin his journey. After spending two days with him making sure he was all set, we asked him if he wanted to go to breakfast with us the next morning before we headed home and his response was, “Nah! I’m good!” I knew that was it and that elephant pounded me! I lost it! Tears welled and I learned the true meaning of the song “You Can’t Cry Pretty” as I prepared to leave my first born at college. NOTHING prepares you for that moment as a parent.
I am proud that my son is ready for his “Journey to Begin”, as his response let us know that we did our job as parents, but it is still hard to let go and wonder what the future will hold. As for those chickens...they are still pecking, literally and figuratively, as we began raising chickens for eggs a few months ago and my daughter is now worried that 100% of our attention is now on her!
A Journey Begins...again...
Amazing!
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