Where We Are Now

September Reading Challenge - Prompt #32:

Phase

Several years ago, a friend of mine who’s a little bit older than me was in a similar life stage to where I am now. I remember her telling me that she loved the ages of her children, and she felt like she was in a really enjoyable phase. I was kind of surprised by that because, to me, there didn’t seem to be anything great about having children in the 6-14 range (hers were about 9, 12, and 15). 

Now that I’m in that phase, I understand. There are a lot of things about my kids’ current ages that are hard, but there are also some things that are really great. 

For example:

Everyone can put on their own shoes (most of the time), zip their own jackets, and buckle themselves in the car. We are diaper, sippy cup, and stroller free! Everyone is in school. Our conversations are getting more intellectual. No one runs out in the street anymore. We can go different ways in the store or library. I can be out of arm's reach at the pool. They can feed themselves when necessary. The older ones like to eat places other than McDonald's. They sometimes give me some real competition in board games (Nicky always beats me at Azul). I don't have to get babysitters very often anymore. They can put on their own sunscreen (with a few exceptions). They can fulfill responsibilities around the house in a way that is sometimes actually helpful. They can articulate their feelings and explain their problems. And, more often than not, they sleep through the night. 

Like I said, this phase has its challenges, but I feel like I'm better suited for this phase than I was for previous phases. I'm going to try my best to enjoy where we are now since I have some notions about what’s to come later (I’m going to have three teenage daughters). I need to live it up while I can!