I recently read the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin which although it had a very American bias there is quite a lot to interest an English reader. I found it both thought provoking and infuriating in equal measures.  The one line that really stood out for me was though was  “The days are long but the years are short.”

As a mum of two teens, I have never heard a line more true.

When my two were younger some days, I would look at the clock letting out a big sigh because the clock showed 5:00 but it so felt like 8:30pm, shouldn’t the kids be going to bed now, it feels much later? When our children are younger they need us, sometimes this just feels overwhelming. No time for yourself, always giving, holding, looking after this little developing person who completely relies on you.

Now my two are teens, it is almost a full-time job to keep them dressed in clean clothes, fed and driven to their many commitments, not to mention the vast quantity of homework and revision.

My weekly calendar is packed full, there is always something being cooked, the dishwasher is always full and the washing machine is constantly running. I sometimes even find myself wondering what day of the week it is!

But when I do stop and take a breath, and reflex on my day or week, I usually smile and think, “When did they become so knowledgeable and such good company? When did they get start having such strong opinions? How much longer will they want to spend time with me?”

Just a few of the things I miss most about my children being small

• Their voices
• Chubby bodies and awkward gaits
• Extremely slow walks anywhere often ending in snuggles as they were carried the last part of any journey
• Sitting on my lap, cuddling and reading books together
• Clinging onto me tightly when introduced to someone or something unfamiliar
• Bathtime
• Teaching them how to dress themselves, tie their laces
• Playing simple games, baking and arts and craft sessions

There are a lot of things I don’t miss, but well that is for another post!

Where are you in the stages of parenting at the moment?

Maybe your children are still little and you feel like you are just surviving some days, cherishing the moments that present themselves to you. But, what about the times you don’t see, what about the things you forget about? How do you take it all in?

Life is busy. You are busy. Your kids are busy. It doesn’t get any easier as time goes on. Memories become faded as new ones are made. Don’t let your busy life get in the way of what is most important.

My intent isn’t to make you feel guilty or overwhelmed, because parenting is tough enough and we are all in it for life. You are doing a GREAT job! I just want to plant the seed of collecting and cherishing moments so that when your children are older, they have the opportunities to dig through all those loose photos, an album, or watch videos of when they were little ones.

I am SO thankful to have documented my children’s life in this way, not just the milestones but the mundane everyday things that soon fade to a distant memory, but are so wonderful to look back on.

If you want to find out more why not contact me for a chat about why a documentary session could be for you.

With time, you may find photos of your everyday life more beautiful than any portrait ever could be.

The mundane, the chaos, and the small moments of everyday love that make up your life are the photos you are likely to treasure years from now, I know I do. These are the photos your children will most likely want to see when they grow up far more than a posed photo that looks just like the one hanging on everyone else’s wall.