Kids' Golden Age

This piece was written in May 2023, during a very tender moment of transition in my life as a mother. My son was finishing primary school, and I found myself This piece was written in May 2023, during a very tender moment of transition in my life as a mother. My son was finishing primary school, and I found myself quietly taking in the end of an era I had lived almost on autopilot for years, the school runs, the routines, the everyday rhythm of childhood.

I am sharing it here as it was originally written, because even now it feels relevant beyond motherhood. It is about time passing, change unfolding, and learning, sometimes only in hindsight, to notice the small, ordinary moments that carry so much meaning.

24 May 2023

This half term has flown by for me. Firstly, it took me a while to recover from the Easter holiday and get back into a routine without feeling overwhelmed. Then May was filled with a bank holiday, which was great but also shortened our week.

I am feeling a sense of nostalgia as the school year is coming to an end. These are the last few weeks of primary school for my son.

After 9 years of dropping off and picking up my kids, I have accumulated approximately 3,420 school runs in total.

I am now counting down the remaining school runs; there are about 70 left.

Those school runs have meant everything to me.

It has been pure joy to pick up my children after their days at school and also another joy to drop them back off after sometimes too long school breaks or lockdowns.

With no more school runs, I will soon have two secondary school children.

I have moved beyond what I used to call the "Golden years" of my children. I used to believe that between the ages of 8 and 10 was the golden age. It's an age where they are independent enough, yet their world still revolves around you. I never took it for granted and always knew how precious those years were.

Now, my kids are no longer in this "golden age," and their lives definitely don't revolve around me anymore.

My son keeps telling me to stop talking to his friends. I think he feels embarrassed.

And there is also way TOO MUCH screen time and an abundance of "likes" and "I don't wannas."

But, my god, this age also brings its golden nuggets.

It's the age where they care about their appearance.

The positive side to this is how they have a self-care routine of beauty, wellness, and fitness.

Everything is new for them, so they have boundless enthusiasm.

Sometimes, I join my teen girl in her beauty routine, routines that I have let go of as motherhood took over.

It's the age where they learn how to cultivate their friendships.

My daughter loves a magazine called "Teen Breathe," which is filled with tips on relationship skills to help them navigate and understand their emotions. She reads and re-reads them.

I am also amazed at how emotionally mature she is and the depth of the conversations we can have together. It fills my heart to the top.

It's the age where they are full of life. They enjoy playing music, LOUD, and dancing a lot.

They love themed parks and roller coasters, going out and having fun.

Another thing we have slowly let go of as we became parents and simultaneously grew older.

Being around them gives us a breath of fresh air, and it is so refreshing to be reminded of what we once were.

I have no doubt that each age will bring its own joys and challenges.

Today, I have shared the happy times. But you can also imagine the tears over friendships, the tears over math homework, the fear over exams, the reluctance to clean their bedrooms, go to bed, have a shower, leave the house, or detach from their screens.

It's about recognising these moments while they are here. Sometimes we possess the ability to do so. Sometimes we appreciate them in retrospect.

You know, when you look at a photo of yourself from 20 years ago and realise how amazing and young you looked.

Can you be present and grateful for what you have?

Can you look around you and find those golden nuggets?

In nature, in your friendships, your relationships, with your pets, your work, your free time, your busy time?

You can reflect on the beauty and richness of the present moment.

What are three things you are grateful for right now?

Closing reflection

Reading this again, I can still feel the softness of that period of change.

So much of life happens in ordinary days, in routines, repetition, small gestures we barely notice at the time. And yet, when we look back, these are often the moments that held everything.

We don’t always recognise the “golden nuggets” while we are inside them. Sometimes we only understand their value once they have already shifted into memory.

But perhaps the invitation is simply to keep noticing. Not perfectly, not all the time, just enough to meet life as it is, while it is still here.quietly taking in the end of an era I had lived almost on autopilot for years, the school runs, the routines, the everyday rhythm of childhood.

I am sharing it here as it was originally written, because even now it feels relevant beyond motherhood. It is about time passing, change unfolding, and learning, sometimes only in hindsight, to notice the small, ordinary moments that carry so much meaning.

24 May 2023

This half term has flown by for me. Firstly, it took me a while to recover from the Easter holiday and get back into a routine without feeling overwhelmed. Then May was filled with a bank holiday, which was great but also shortened our week.

I am feeling a sense of nostalgia as the school year is coming to an end. These are the last few weeks of primary school for my son.

After 9 years of dropping off and picking up my kids, I have accumulated approximately 3,420 school runs in total.

I am now counting down the remaining school runs; there are about 70 left.

Those school runs have meant everything to me.

It has been pure joy to pick up my children after their days at school and also another joy to drop them back off after sometimes too long school breaks or lockdowns.

With no more school runs, I will soon have two secondary school children.

I have moved beyond what I used to call the "Golden years" of my children. I used to believe that between the ages of 8 and 10 was the golden age. It's an age where they are independent enough, yet their world still revolves around you. I never took it for granted and always knew how precious those years were.

Now, my kids are no longer in this "golden age," and their lives definitely don't revolve around me anymore.

My son keeps telling me to stop talking to his friends. I think he feels embarrassed.

And there is also way TOO MUCH screen time and an abundance of "likes" and "I don't wannas."

But, my god, this age also brings its golden nuggets.

It's the age where they care about their appearance.

The positive side to this is how they have a self-care routine of beauty, wellness, and fitness.

Everything is new for them, so they have boundless enthusiasm.

Sometimes, I join my teen girl in her beauty routine, routines that I have let go of as motherhood took over.

It's the age where they learn how to cultivate their friendships.

My daughter loves a magazine called "Teen Breathe," which is filled with tips on relationship skills to help them navigate and understand their emotions. She reads and re-reads them.

I am also amazed at how emotionally mature she is and the depth of the conversations we can have together. It fills my heart to the top.

It's the age where they are full of life. They enjoy playing music, LOUD, and dancing a lot.

They love themed parks and roller coasters, going out and having fun.

Another thing we have slowly let go of as we became parents and simultaneously grew older.

Being around them gives us a breath of fresh air, and it is so refreshing to be reminded of what we once were.

I have no doubt that each age will bring its own joys and challenges.

Today, I have shared the happy times. But you can also imagine the tears over friendships, the tears over math homework, the fear over exams, the reluctance to clean their bedrooms, go to bed, have a shower, leave the house, or detach from their screens.

It's about recognising these moments while they are here. Sometimes we possess the ability to do so. Sometimes we appreciate them in retrospect.

You know, when you look at a photo of yourself from 20 years ago and realise how amazing and young you looked.

Can you be present and grateful for what you have?

Can you look around you and find those golden nuggets?

In nature, in your friendships, your relationships, with your pets, your work, your free time, your busy time?

You can reflect on the beauty and richness of the present moment.

What are three things you are grateful for right now?

Closing reflection

Reading this again, I can still feel the softness of that period of change.

So much of life happens in ordinary days, in routines, repetition, small gestures we barely notice at the time. And yet, when we look back, these are often the moments that held everything.

We don’t always recognise the “golden nuggets” while we are inside them. Sometimes we only understand their value once they have already shifted into memory.

But perhaps the invitation is simply to keep noticing. Not perfectly, not all the time, just enough to meet life as it is, while it is still here.