It Won't Always Be...
Sunday, March 1, 2026 (I forgot to post, I'm sorry)
IT WON’T ALWAYS BE...
It won’t always be fun. Memorable. Easy. Plans will not always go as planned. Quality time will not go the way you want. You will likely come back tired from all of the parenting done on vacation.
It won’t always be ideal.
Today, earlier today, I had this exact thing happen. We were in the mall just walking around each of us with a piece of chocolate. Towards the end of a fine time, my daughter pulls her stuffed animal from her brothers arms and tips the stroller he’s in towards the floor. He wasn’t hurt. Both were upset.
This is where the wisdom of a parent kicks in - “it won’t always be.” Of course something happened, as it should with a 6 and 2 year old. Someone will get their hair pulled or their cracker taken. Someones ice cream will drop with the other pushing their siblings treat to the floor. Shit will inevitably happen, Just like it won’t always be perfect, we don’t always let a moment define or change the day. That moment with the kids today will not and did not define the rest of the day.
Yet, too often, we are so frustrated or annoyed on how they behaved or acted that we punish them with our carried emotions. Those feelings and emotions should have been left at the place the incident happened. But no, we hold on to it. Turning an opportunity of knowing “it won’t always be,” into “the rest of today will be more of this.”
Knowing that yes, “it will always be” a new opportunity to turn it around. A melt down 2 hours ago could mean laughter now. The day isn’t defined by what did not happen but in what did. In the events that the kids can recap as you tuck them into bed tonight. Or every night. Be thankful for where you are. For these moments that frustrate you because one day, you’ll take that mall trip alone. The errands will just be with you and you’ll miss their presence. Their voice. Their behavior that once angered you.