Do y'all miss your little kids?

[Kidlit]

Dh was working on deleting files off an old computer tonight and found a treasure trove of videos from when my college kids were littles.  Oh my heart.  Can that sort of longing be physical?  I think mine is.  I miss them at that age SO much.  😭

[Terabith]

Yes.  And also no.  

[Meriwether]

So much

[ScoutTN]

Yes, absolutely.

[CTVKath]

Yes. I love them at their current age but I sure do miss them as littles.

[kathyl]

Definitely.  I sometimes wish I could do all those years over and do sooo many things differently.  I would have held my little ones so much more than I did.  

[wisdomandtreasures]

Yes. So, so much it hurts.

[freesia]

I don’t miss how tired and over stimulated I felt—but other things, yes! When I was a young mother, a 90 year old woman said to me that she wished hers were that size again (3 and 1) for just one more day. I understand that now. 
 

My 18 year old just finished his work today so we were sentimental about his school journey tonight. Sniff

[Dmmetler]

Definitely. Part of it is that little kid stuff came with a built in community. I got to talk to other adults fairly often, and usually the same adults each week, or sometimes several times a week. That started to fade in teen years as kids did more and more on their own, and it left the building when kids went to college. Teaching isn't the same. The person I talked to most at work is moving to Chattanooga and her last day is Saturday. And part of it is that life just seemed a lot more fun in general. 

[kristin0713]

Not really. I was exhausted all.the.time.  I love having teenagers that take their own showers and can make their own lunch and I absolutely can’t wait until they can drive themselves places! I do miss the literature based homeschooling that we did back then and the “simple” problems of life. 

[Harriet Vane]

I miss them and that stage terribly. I rejoice in the awesome adults they are now and I enjoy time with them enormously, but the most fun I have ever had in my life was raising them. 

[Shoeless]

Yes. I miss that little sunshiney face. I love who he is today, but I would relive those young days again if I could.  

[Kalmia]

Those carefree days of childhood were the best, for me and my children. We had a blast. They could be wholly themselves. And, boy, did they say the funniest things. I would go back in an instant. 

[Kidlit]

5 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I miss them and that stage terribly. I rejoice in the awesome adults they are now and I enjoy time with them enormously, but the most fun I have ever had in my life was raising them. 

This is exactly how I feel.  

[Kidlit]

I'm so glad to know I'm not alone.  (((HUGS)))

[Arcadia]

My iPads, iPhone and OneDrive have photos from when my kids were newborns. I also miss my nephews at the babies, toddlers stage because I babysat them. It’s a sense of nostalgia, an overall less stressful time and the ease of bringing them anywhere when I am free because there were less time commitments. For example, taking my nephews to the movies on my day off work was easy as they had nothing scheduled. Tagging along on my husband’s business trip was easy too, just pack diapers/pull-ups and change of clothing and we could depart. My brother is nine years younger and I have fond memories of calming him back to sleep as we shared a bedroom. 

[fraidycat]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

Yes.  And also no.  

This

[Indigo Blue]

Yes. Absolutely.

[Starr]

I do. I think our children’s childhoods are for us, the parents. They don’t remember as much and we treasure every memory. and it was fun!

[lorilou]

YES!

[Faith-manor]

Not really. I like looking at photos and videos of them, but I do not miss the littles. I was not a baby, little person kind of mom. I felt like a lot of time I was just surviving those years, not enjoying it. I began really enjoying them when they got older so what I miss is not having middle school and high schoolers in the house. I like my grandkids a LOT because I can spend time with them, shake 'em up, spoil 'em, and hand them back! And I am not exhausted by full time parenting of little people. However, I did recently have a bout of that with Dd and her high risk pregnancy followed by baby T being born six weeks premature and in the NICU for almost four weeks. I was privileged to be able to be there for them, homeschool my eldest grandson, care for our three year old grandson, and run their household. But it took a round right out of me. I took a break for the month of March after T came home from the hospital, and my mom went. Then I spent a week with them again in April. I won't be with them again until August, and am ready for that long break form the hectic life of demanding little humans.

[SKL]

No.  That phase was nice while it lasted, but I was ready to move on when they were.  😛  I say that about every stage.  I can't relate when people say "I miss changing diapers."

My kids were cute and all that, but as a single mom, I was always on high alert.  Who needs to go potty, who has a runny nose, who's about to fall on her face (one of my kids had bad balance), who's gonna try to lick the bathroom walls at McDonalds (yes one of mine did that).  Is this one eating too little, is that one eating too much.  Why can't I get my kids to speak socially acceptable niceties?  Oh please don't puke in my car.  She did what at preschool?

I do enjoy looking at the photos.  The photos make it look like it was all sunshine and rainbows.

 

[Katy]

I've got littles and bigs so I'm still in the part where I'm frequently exasperated and then the note on the last day of school from DS5's kindergarten teacher sends me into tears so fast I can't catch my breath and keep reading, I need a break for a moment.

It really is a long days, fast years season of life.

I've been in tears a lot this week.  Not just because of sick kids and the end of school and the process of picking what to put in memory boxes and what to throw out.  But because I desperately miss my dad. I'm sure he's around, but one of my kids and one of my nephews would really benefit from knowing him now. And I can't teach them the things that he would have.

[Corraleno]

OMG I missed those little guys so so much. If a time machine magically appeared in front of me and I could choose to spend a day, at any time in all of the past or future, I'd pick a beautiful sunny day when my kids were around 3 & 7, and I'd just hug them to bits and soak it all in. Of course I love them as adults, but those years when they were little were the absolute best years of my life and I would give anything to see and hug those munchkins again.

[Melissa Louise]

Yes.

I never thought I would. I'm not a very nostalgic person.

But then they grew up, and all left home.

Yes!

(But not the way they never slept...)

[Carrie12345]

Yes.  
My #2 and #3 were especially difficult little almost-Irish-twins, and I was not in the greatest mental health but, oh, to go back and cuddle those amazing little monsters!

 I’m enjoying my children becoming adults, but nothing will ever compare to watching my 5 baby blobs become people. And the cuddles!!! Pets are nice, but not the same. 

[Condessa]

Absolutely.  I am so, so grateful that I get to do it again.  

[Ginevra]

Not really. I do miss things about the community of that time when I look at photos - the field trips, the sports, the parties, and their cute little faces. But not how my car seat had mystery sticky on the arm rest or trying to project who would need a potty or be terrified of a thunderstorm or if they would turn into decent citizens at all. I was a hyper-alert mother and it was bloody exhausting. 
 

I’m not really too past-oriented anyway. I imagine it will be fun to see what I get with grandkids, but it will definitely be nice to not hold their futures in my hand; tuck them into bed and let the parents sort it all out. 

[Eos]

So much yes.  

[sweet2ndchance]

Yes, I miss having a crazy house full of littles! I'm not overly fond of the baby stage but toddlers, preschoolers and young elementary age are my favorite stages. The days are long but the years are oh so short. 😭

[alysee]

I am currently in this weird phase where I have a teenager, preteens, little kids and a baby. My oldest turns 13 tomorrow so I am feeling extra sentimental. 

I am still in the thick of things but I miss a few aspects of having a lot of little kids is our duvet days. We would pile into my bed and Read books and watch movies on dreary days. 

I miss their little kid voices. I can already see the change in my 5yo. She is not even one ounce the same person she was when she was a baby. I am finding myself snuggling my 9 month old more because she is my last and I am still not ready for that chapter to be over no matter how crazy my life is. 

Edited June 1, 2023 by alysee

[SKL]

I will say that I miss how both kids liked hugs / closeness.  How a hug/cuddle could make everything better for them.

[Melanie32]

So very, very much. 

[lovinmyboys]

Yes. Just yesterday I decided to make popsicles with the juice we got at the farmers market, and I had such a feeling of nostalgia for the summers my kids were little. I almost had to stop pouring the juice. This is the last summer I will have all minor children, so I am trying hard to live in this season. I know I will miss this one day too. But, for sure, I loved the days of all little kids eating homemade popsicles and playing in the sprinkler. 

[Drama Llama]

2 hours ago, Condessa said:

Absolutely.  I am so, so grateful that I get to do it again.  

Did I miss an announcement? 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

Very much.  We had so much fun.  I was working less, even though it didn’t seem like it, and we spent so many days on the boat and riding bikes around the block and taking walks and getting ice cream.

They’re 13, 11 and 8 now, and if I could wake up tomorrow in 2016, I would do so in a heartbeat. 

[Kidlit]

2 hours ago, Condessa said:

Absolutely.  I am so, so grateful that I get to do it again.  

I remember feeling exactly this way when my youngest was a baby.  There are almost 3 years between youngest and the next oldest sibling and almost 9 years from oldest to youngest.  The feeling of gratitude for *getting* to do it one more time would bring me to tears. 

[mom31257]

I definitely miss them being little, but it is not a physical feeling.

Part of me is so grateful for them growing up and having a life, and I think that influences my thoughts on it. My nephew had severe developmental delays and was mentally around age 4 when he passed at 22 years old. 

While I do miss those stages, I recently told dh that I really like the young adults our kids have become. I don't necessarily agree with every choice they make and that's okay. They come to spend time with us, and we have a peaceful family. I am so grateful for that! 

[MEmama]

Not at all.

I enjoyed it, sure, but I am not a baby and little kid person. I love watching DS grow into himself, and in many ways he is healthier than he ever was. So I love that for him and would never want him to have to go backward and retreat inward. It would be painful for me to see all the signs I overlooked and watch myself not advocate for him hard enough. 
 

My number one goal was (and remains) the preservation of and strength of our relationship. As he becomes a young adult I am witnessing in real time how my hard work has paid off; we are closer than ever as we continue to find we have more in common and can relate to each other on ever deeper levels. I wouldn't change this time for the world. 💕

[Momto6inIN]

I wouldn't necessarily want to go back and live through it all again, but I do sometimes long to visit those days again bringing along what nuggets of wisdom I've acquired since and knowing enough to savor it this time.

I do think it's a physical longing because my memories are tied up with the feel of their firm little cheeks up against mine and the feel of the stickiness and softness of their little hands and the smell of them - baby breath and toddler sweat and milk and the wildness of outside air that clings to their hair but somehow doesn't stink like it does when they're older.

But if I went back then I'd also miss hanging out with my adult kids and talking with them about God and politics late at night over a glass of wine and hearing my teens singing Disney songs around the piano together and ... and ... and ... and ...

My memories with my older kids are maybe not quite so physical or primal as the ones when they're little, but they're still real and some day when they all have their own homes and families I wonder which days I'll miss most and I just don't know 🤷‍♀️

[KrissiK]

No. My kids are all teens (or almost) and I enjoy this age. I wouldn’t want to go back. I did get a little sentimental the other day when I was going back over pictures for my Middle DD’s tribute table for her 8th grade promotion and seeing how much she’s grown, etc., but I do enjoy the teen years and I see families with little ones and think, “I’m so glad I am past that.”.

[Kidlit]

12 minutes ago, Momto6inIN said:

I wouldn't necessarily want to go back and live through it all again, but I do sometimes long to visit those days again bringing along what nuggets of wisdom I've acquired since and knowing enough to savor it this time.

I do think it's a physical longing because my memories are tied up with the feel of their firm little cheeks up against mine and the feel of the stickiness and softness of their little hands and the smell of them - baby breath and toddler sweat and milk and the wildness of outside air that clings to their hair but somehow doesn't stink like it does when they're older.

But if I went back then I'd also miss hanging out with my adult kids and talking with them about God and politics late at night over a glass of wine and hearing my teens singing Disney songs around the piano together and ... and ... and ... and ...

My memories with my older kids are maybe not quite so physical or primal as the ones when they're little, but they're still real and some day when they all have their own homes and families I wonder which days I'll miss most and I just don't know 🤷‍♀️

This is beautiful!

[SKL]

Not sure if it's typical, but I think more about whether my kids are prepared for independence.  I wonder if this is because I am an older mom and don't know how far into adulthood I'll be able to help them.

I always thought I was more of a baby/tot/preschooler person, but as my kids have grown older, I've come to like the middle teen years better.  The way they move from discovering the world around them, to discovering themselves, to discovering how they fit into the world around them.

I liked seeing my kids learn to walk, ride bikes, read, etc., but I think seeing them do near-adult things (getting their license, first job, first boyfriend ...) makes me even happier.  It gives me hope that they will be OK on their own when the time comes.

I'm still looking forward to the day when my kids take me out for coffee and we just talk about grown-up things.  🙂

Edited June 1, 2023 by SKL

[DawnM]

Be careful what you say.......I said I missed little kids and BAM!   God gave me another one! 😁

[HomeAgain]

I love the 4-8yo years.  They're some of my favorites.  I am also so extremely grateful I get to enjoy this age with other people's children and not have it constantly in my own life anymore.

Late teens are also my favorite age, but again, I will be glad to only get the good parts and not the bad parts when my own kids are fully past that age. 🙂

[marbel]

I miss some of it - the easy days we spent reading together, their wonder at everything new, their joy in exploring nature. I miss the ease in which most problems could be solved - a hug, some food, sitting down to read together.

But I wouldn't want to go back and I wouldn't want to start over. I like my kids as adults. I do still worry about them. One is not as successful (read: independent) as I would like but I could have predicted that 20 years ago. I had my kids late in life, and am 67 now so I'd like to see them both settled into careers and independent lives before I... go. 

[Heatherwith4]

 Yes, but I really like sleep, and I really like that they can handle going to the restroom on their own.  Two of them can drive.  All of that is awesome, too.   

[livetoread]

I don't miss baby and toddlerhood because I was sleep deprived. I miss from about three to about nine very much. Late teen/young adulthood has absolutely kicked my rear and I miss the closeness and fun we had back then, not to mention to ability to fix things with a cuddle and time in the rocking chair.

[wintermom]

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." I was so sleep deprived that a lot of that time seems blurry to me. Just getting up the in the morning was challenging - there were often several kids laying on top of me. 🤣

[Terabith]

I miss them desperately, but I don’t want to go back to the sleep deprivation and the WORRY that I had when they were little.  Going back with the knowledge that my youngest is going to turn out okay would be lovely, but the sheer physical intensity of parenting little ones (especially my kid who couldn’t fall asleep on her own till age 11 and woke up every two hours until age four) is not something I really want to do again.  I DO enjoy little kids, and I love my job with 2 and 3 year olds, but I also love sending them home at the end of the day.   I do miss being able to solve all problems via nursing, though.