A New Parenting Era
Well, the end of an era has arrived at the Dietz house. Our youngest turned four this week-end. No more little foot patter and all that jazz.
It is sad. Babies are perfect little bundles of love. Toddlers, especially as they first learn to walk and are still really small, have to be the cutest thing to watch. As they grow, they learn so fast that you can actually watch their development. If you were to take daily photographs you could probably observe their physical changes as well.
There is the bad side of the first four years too, of course. Those famous “terrible twos” are actually more like the prelude to the “impossible threes.” They are probably preparation for the “goofy-grade-school years,” the “annoying adolescences,” and the “too-smart-for-their-own-good teens” but they are not easy and made harder by the fact that parent and child don’t speak the same language yet.
It’s just that four seems like a milestone in any kid’s life. It is when you can start to talk about things. They start to have their own interests. They ask for things for their birthday. They start to care about having their own likes independent of parent and sibling.
We now have four “kids” and no more toddlers. Bittersweet, but exciting too. A couple in our church just had their first baby 10 days ago and brought him to church Sunday. How long is it going to be until the Dietz house sees any more of those? Hopefully no time soon, but I miss holding little babies.
It is sad. Babies are perfect little bundles of love. Toddlers, especially as they first learn to walk and are still really small, have to be the cutest thing to watch. As they grow, they learn so fast that you can actually watch their development. If you were to take daily photographs you could probably observe their physical changes as well.
There is the bad side of the first four years too, of course. Those famous “terrible twos” are actually more like the prelude to the “impossible threes.” They are probably preparation for the “goofy-grade-school years,” the “annoying adolescences,” and the “too-smart-for-their-own-good teens” but they are not easy and made harder by the fact that parent and child don’t speak the same language yet.
It’s just that four seems like a milestone in any kid’s life. It is when you can start to talk about things. They start to have their own interests. They ask for things for their birthday. They start to care about having their own likes independent of parent and sibling.
We now have four “kids” and no more toddlers. Bittersweet, but exciting too. A couple in our church just had their first baby 10 days ago and brought him to church Sunday. How long is it going to be until the Dietz house sees any more of those? Hopefully no time soon, but I miss holding little babies.
Did you just misspell your own name? ha!
ReplyDeleteLOL at Becky's post.
ReplyDeleteNewborns are still my favorite, BUT it really does get more fun as every year they can do more UNTIL they get about 7th grade level THEN it's just grit your teeth and hold your breath 'til they get about 17, though some 16 yr olds are ok. 15 year old boys, oh my goodness! Adult children are the best! People with whom you can have conversations!
Yes, yes I did. I think I will leave it.
ReplyDeleteAnd, for the record, this former youth minister must confess that 15 year old girls are insufferable. I would take a room full of 7th grade boys over one 15 year old girl any day!