My youngest daugther is 13 tomorrow, where does the time go?

Question

Someone once told me that time flies when you have children and i didn't realise how right they are.
I'm only 38, but feel about seventy.
I want to remember every instance of my kids growing up but memories fade.


I wish i could do it all again, it's sad really, anyone else feel the same way?

I must be getting old i've just pressed the wrong key on the keyboard and added 2 years to my age, i'm 36 really!

Foster parents are people that look after others children for the short or long turn until they are in a position to rejoin their families. I suppose the classes are to help you with role play etc, it can be a hard thing to do as parents and social services have a bigger say and you can bond with a child only to have them taken back. Don't know if they do this in other countries. Hope this helps you.

Answer 1

I do, my biggest son is 11 yrs old, and he's little taller than me!!!

And I'm 32... I cant belive it! He is going to sixth grade this year, I cannot believe it, I do sitll remember qhen I was in sixth grade!!!

I am not sure if I want to do it again, but right now I do want to enjoy the moment... HAPPY BDAY TO YOUR GIRL!!!

PS: Whats foster parents classes???

Answer 2

ohhh, yes, I feel the EXACT same way. Funny how the things people told us "back in the day" ring true now that we are experiencing them, huh? I, too, am 38 and have a just-turned 16 year old son, too. That was sort of easy - he's been 6 ft/200 lbs for a while, so I guess it was easier because I was a bit more prepared. But when my baby girl turned 13 last November, I cried :-( Just typing this brings tears to my eyes.

She's nowhere near a baby now, and all of the "little girl" things are gone. Make-up, fashion, music, boys (ugh), the fear of getting/being fat, drama, hormones, the fights over appropriate clothing, friends are all the topics o' the day... OH THE MISERY, LOL!!

But...it's not all bad :-) Memories fade, yes...but guess who will remind you of memorable events that you may have forgotten? I look forward to these walks down memory lane with my daughter, and the more "grown-up" conversations we have now (in between the bickering about her wearing too much makeup, LOL).

Do you really want to do it all again? The diapers, the constant needs for attention, the 24/7 dependency...ugh, not me, lol - I enjoyed it while it lasted, but am glad to move on.

In 10-15 years time, you might have grandkids! Then, you can do it all again, but this time, send them home at night, hehe - best of BOTH worlds! And just think - in this time, YOUR time will be your own again (remember that?? LOL)

Perk up - it gets better...

Answer 3

This is a sign of a good mom. My baby girl is 20 and getting married in May. I went through the stages of actually thinking of having my tubes untied so that I could re-live all of it again, but now that my kids are 20 and 18 I am glad we only had two, we can give them what they need and want and they have both turned out very good. The day our daughter graduated high school she was determined she had to get her own place, so we moved her out, cried a lot each time we entered her empty room, and then three months later she was asking to come back home and now has a greater appreciation of our love and concern for her. There has been a point in both of our teenagers life where they thought they knew everything and became quite difficult, I say this happens so when they do leave home we are at the point where we are glad, so when you are at your wits end and you feel like you want to give up cause she is acting like a teenager, remember the feeling you are experiencing today, be patient mom and love her with all your heart, they do grow out of the know it all stage and they always seem to need us for something.

Answer 4

Hi there, I am 38 and a mother to four kids. My eldest is 19 and currently in university and my youngest is 4 and just started school. I had my first child at the age of 19 and it seemed yesterday. The other two are 16 and 12 but to me they are all my babies, I cannot imagine life without them. Wish your daughter a very happy birthday on my behalf.

Answer 5

I'm 62 and would give anything to re-live those years again when my children were growing up, now they have children of their own.
Yes, it's so very sad and memories do fade. You forget their sweet little baby voices they had and all the funny things they said and even how they looked. Those days are gone completely.
That's why it's never too late but I try to encourage everyone I know who has little children to invest in a video camera, that should be a priority!
Document, photograph, and record all the sounds and images you possibly can.......you will never regret it!

Answer 6

I know exactly how you feel. It just seems like yesterday that I had my daughter, and she will be 20 in April, so she is all grown up!! But I am still young enough to be her friend and her Mum, Im only 41 and we have a great time together. Sometimes I wish I had more kids, but its not too late yet so who knows. But now I have more freedom than I ever had, so maybe its not such a bad thing that time flies when you have kids.

Answer 7

If only we could give them shrinking pills!I would have kept my son at about 8years old.He was a lovely bubbly naughty little boy --he ran me ragged, but every night at 7o'clock he fell fast asleep as if he had been switch off.He woke up at 6 o'clock and off he went again .I really thought that when the day came there was no need for a plastic duck on the edge of the bath i would break my heart.Its never happened----just as my last son became a teenager I became a NaNa now I'm a great NaNa we have had ducks on our bath now for 43 years.I hope this happens to you too.

Answer 8

I would agree with you. We spend their first years encouraging them to walk and talk. Then we tell them to sit down and shut up. In the early days we are measuring them to see how much they have grown. As they get taller we argue with them that no, really, they are 6 inches shorter than me (not the actual 2).

Don't be sad about your children growing up. Rejoice in the young adults you have helped prepare for life. Be glad that they will take with them what you have taught them and will go forward and teach that to other people (perhaps even their own children in time). And once the grandchildren come along you can spoil them and hand them back when they are screaming!! And no sleepless nights!!

Answer 9

Hello,
My wife and I have raised 11 children, 4 of our own, and 7 adoptees, and we were and still are, Mum and Daddy to all of them, they never forget us at special days, and we are the same with their special days too. But the years have been very kind to us, and we feel no suffering, for our love and devotion to a job that had to be done with all our love and care. My wife and I think you are right when you say the time flies, when you are raising children, but I can assure you it will be worth every moment, for all that joy you got from a job so very well done. what you can do now, is enjoy the onset of your middle years, and let your Daughter enjoy your life now with you..... Bye Tony M

Answer 10

I'm 42, and my oldest will be 14 in July. So, I know the feeling. But, I have a 12, 8 and 3 year old. It seems like just last week I was feeding her her bottle. She's my only daughter, and my oldest. I always tell her she can't date till she's 30. Besides, being a dad, I'll just embarass her, and the boys will leave her be....lol.

Answer 11

They do grow up too quickly. My daughter is 10 and already showing signs of the impending teens. But you should make the best of now - when she's 16, will you be looking back wondering about her life when she was 13? And enjoy being in your thirties! I spent all of my thirties worrying about being 40 - what a waste!