Life Is One Long Series of Letting Go

With parenting, the days are long but the years are short

The author and son

With parenting, the days are long but the years are short.

In those early days of teething, crying, sleepless nights, diapers, homework, parent/teacher meetings, birthday parties, and more, we ask what we’ve gotten ourselves into. We love our children unconditionally, but we wonder when it will all get easier.

We soldier on, and some things get easier.

The kid can go to the bathroom by himself now. No more diapers. Anyone who has emptied a full Diaper Genie will understand why this is cause for celebration.

But other things get harder.

Now the kid will be riding his bike to school, and you worry about traffic. You spend the summer rehearsing the route to school with your kid. You tell him not to trust traffic lights. People run red lights all the time.

“I know Dad, I’m not an idiot,” he’ll say.

“Of course you’re not, but I’m your Dad. It’s my job to worry,” you’ll say.

Maybe it was hard for me because I was a policeman. I witnessed tragedies and crimes against children. Thus, I became hyper-vigilant.