Parenting young children is exhausting, and although I know my aunt is being truthful when she wholeheartedly recommends retirement to me, I’m able to recognize that every season has its challenges and its rewards.

I have 18 years to build a relationship with my children that will need to last us a lifetime. It’s a unique one, as I journey with them from total dependence to total independence. They reach milestones and forget to mention it to me. I’m approaching them assuming yesterday’s dependence while they’re trying to flex today’s independence.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the daily repetition, but when I take the view that I have 6,570 days to build our relationship, and tomorrow it’ll be 6,569, perspective shifts my decisions. Grace becomes easier, new adventure becomes more alluring, connection becomes more important than rest.

Tags: Parenting