Signs

By Leigh Thomas 

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I’ve been turning this one around in my head for a long time, not really sure how to articulate it. I don’t tend to get real philosophical or introspective about parenting – or life for that matter. I just move about my day, gettin’ it done, trying not to over-think it all. But I’m seeing some changes, and they’re giving me pause.

From the time kids are born, life is like an obstacle course, as you try to master everything from stretching out sleep cycles to curbing terrible twos to satisfying picky yet insatiable appetites to learning the hard way to keep the art supplies on a higher shelf, all the while wondering what the hell happened and if you’ll ever make it through a day without wiping a hiney again. And then all of a sudden you do. I swear there were moments after my son was born when I thought I would never sleep through the night again. Ever. And then, what do you know, three months later I did.

I once read somewhere that when it comes to parenting, “the days are long, but the years are short.” I so wish I could take credit for that little nugget of wisdom but regrettably it’s not mine.

But it is starting to ring true for me, particularly when it comes to my first-born. What seems like a short time ago I thought I would never sleep again, and here we are, seven-and-a-half years later, with more and more signs that he’s becoming independent. It’s not all bad. It’s pretty sweet to say, “Go take a shower,” and it happens with no involvement from me. But here’s the kicker – One night recently he was in bed reading one of his chapter books (how did that happen?), and he said, “You don’t need to read to me tonight, Mom. I’m reading my book.”

Say whhaaaat? Sensing this was an issue for me, he quickly said, “But you can read if you want to.” Gee, thanks for the pity party.

You see, we started reading “together” when I was pregnant, and have almost daily ever since. Now he, like me, loves to read, and whether I had some part in that or he did it on his own, I don’t know. I could go on and on about the importance of reading to a child and all the benefits it imparts, but the bottom line is that it’s just been our thing.

Sure, he’s given me other signs, like scrambling out of the car when I drop him off at a friend’s house, saying “You don’t need to get out of the car.” (What, are you 14?) But the reading thing resonated with me the most. I’m not a crafty mom, an artsy mom, a so-called Pinterest mom, hell I’m not even a patient mom, but I will read the hell out of some books. I panicked briefly, but then I realized the signs don’t mean he doesn’t need me, he just needs me in different ways. And I will embrace that, and appreciate the days I’m in instead of lamenting the days of the past. I will enjoy him as he is, because while the days might be long, the years are very, very short.

Here’s to hoping that holds true during the teen years.

Leigh Thomas is a Columbia-area wife, mom of two, runner and communications professional. Because that affords her so much spare time, she also pursues freelance writing and editing. Visit her blog, Literalleigh, at literalleigh.blogspot.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/literalleigh.

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