When my kids were young, I was excited to send them back to school. Now that I'm a mom of teens, I feel differently.
A mother reflects on the changing emotions associated with the end of summer as her children transition into their teenage years. She notes that while she once eagerly anticipated the quiet of the school year, she now finds herself cherishing the slower pace of summer with her older children.
Why it matters
This piece captures the universal emotional shift in parenting as children grow older, highlighting the evolving nature of family dynamics and work-life balance.
When the author's children were younger, as shown here, she was happy to send them back to school after a long summer. Now, as her youngest two enter 11th grade, she feels differently. Courtesy of Jill Robbins. When my kids were younger, I would count the days until they went back to school each fall. Now that my youngest kids are entering the 11th grade, I'm wishing summer would slow down instead. Even though my teens drive me crazy, I've realized I'd gladly have one more noisy week with them. My two youngest kids are entering 11th grade. The recurring theme in my head is, How did we get here so fast? I have misty memories of their younger years: soft, pudgy baby hands, "Doc McStuffins" playing in the background, and the marked absence of deep sighs and eye rolls in my life.
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