It’s the first day of school, and the children are wearing their carefully chosen outfit, boasting a new haircut, and a new colorful backpack. Posing in front of their school, the parents try to capture this milestone day. “Say cheese”, Mom says, trying to save this moment in a photo while fighting back tears. She knows in her heart that time is flying by, and this little child saying “cheese” will soon be but a distant memory.

So bittersweet. Everything we do for our children is for their future. We want the best for them. We want their lives to be better than ours were, and we prepare them for a new world in the best ways that we can. Those cozy moments with them on our laps, the begging for one last story, the helpless face of a sick child, the crazy sound effects for nothing running about in circles and turning until they are dizzy, all the whining and crying, the giggles and laughter, and screams of delight. All will be but a memory, and that little child will be gone forever. We have worked so hard to prepare them to be independent, and then when they do fly off into their future, there is a clench in your heart that you never anticipated.

So bring that box of tissues for after you get that photo, say goodbye, and climb into a quiet car. Allow the grieving for the inevitable loss of your little child. And then remember to cherish every moment of your life with this little one as you bravely (or not so bravely) embrace the new life you are starting with the evolving little child, older child, awkward tween, teen, young adult, and all the precious moments in between yet to come. Eventually, this child will be an adult making their own decisions and living their best lives, but in your heart, they are always your baby.