The Impermanence of Childhood

I always give out the same advice at every baby shower: remember that nothing is permanent in childrearing. It is a warning and a reassurance.

There will be times, for example, when your kid might suddenly stop sleeping through the night, and and after 5 nights of this, it feels like it will be a permanent condition. But you have to remind yourself that nothing with children is ever permanent. Their biting phases, their dietary aversions, their sleep patterns. It all changes, most of it as fast as you can keep up with it. And when the going gets rough with a particular child, it's lifesaving to remember that.

There will also be times when your kid is doing something particularly adorable--a new face, a cute wave at strangers, a new game--and you love it and take for granted that they'll keep doing it. Which means you might forget to take a picture or write it down. But then it's gone and they are on to the next trick. And you'll wish you had those moments back.

I think about both of those things regularly.

Something about the above photo of Tiny reminds me of the first part--of the fact that it all rushes by so fast. I look at her swaying in the wind, and I mourn the impermanence of childhood. I don't want time to mature this little girl who hula dances on the beach with wild abandon, while belting out nonsensical lyrics.

It's such a dance: taking comfort in the passage of time, but making sure we pay attention to the goodness as it goes.

I think in general, I want a more generous helping of the second.

So this weekend, while I'll remind myself that Drummer's desire to throw everything down the stairs won't last, I'll also remind myself that neither will his joy in a simple game of hide and seek. While I'll remind myself that someday Tiny's desire to change her outfit 5 time/day will fade, I'll also remind myself that so will her hilarious takes on bible stories.

And mostly, I'll just be so happy that they're mine. Forever.