I am participating in FLUVIP’s Ambassador program on behalf of Claritin®. This program is paid for by the Makers of Claritin® and I have received compensation for my participation. All opinions expressed are my own.
They say parenting is about stages. Different phases in our lives when the needs of our children either come before ours or significantly impact our own decisions and behaviors. Es la ley de la vida, my parents would say.
It’s the rule of life.
One day they’re small enough to carry in your arms and rock them to sleep. The next they’re towering over you and wearing your same size in shoes with a voice deeper than your own. And then all of a sudden their childhood years are a blur and you’re staring at them in disbelief thinking: “How did that happen? When did this kid get so big?”
Thinking back to my own childhood, sometimes I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve been a kid… let alone how long we’ve been raising this kiddo too. In either case, the memories that come to mind are all about just spending time together. Being a family together. And having as much fun as we could around each other.
Growing up my parents didn’t have the means to buy us fancy toys or take us on expensive adventures, so most of our childhood memories are of time spent outdoors playing in the sand and just running around after each other. It didn’t really matter what we were playing. All that mattered is that we were having fun.
I can only hope to have created a few of those memories for Edgar too.
It’s hard to tell, though, because in one single generation our family structure has shifted so much. We’re not struggling the same way my parents were. He’s had access to so much more than we ever did growing up – starting with technology – and well, you just never really know how all that plays out in the long run. What I do know, is when we shut everything off and turn our attention to each other (usually in the great outdoors) things just get fun, and you can’t help but to want to hold on to those moments for as long as you can.
Or to want to create more of them as often as you can, without letting anything hold you back. Especially not something as mundane as allergies. For me the solution to keeping my allergies at bay is Claritin®. It’s the #1 doctor recommended, non-drowsy oral allergy brand, and it’s the medication that keeps my sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and runny nose in control while I’m busy enjoying life with Edgar.
He’s a total ham, and so much like me it’s not even funny. We love playing pranks on each other and when he gets me I can’t even be mad at the kid because I know I would have done the same thing had he not beat me to the punch line first. That’s the thing about this stage of my parenting journey. It’s been the most enjoyable yet.
I mean every single stage has had its best moments, but being able to play with Edgar now and having the rapport we’ve spent so many years building together is pretty incredible. I kind of don’t want this phase to end, but I can’t deny I’m also looking forward to the next ones ahead.
It’s great to experience him becoming the young man we’ve raised him to be.
