Motherhood Phrase: "You're going to miss this." Are you sure?

Motherhood.

When motherhood is added to your life, you shed pieces of you. Pieces that you did not realize even existed before. For example, I didn’t know that it would be a luxury to only think of yourself. I also didn’t know that eating regular meals would be few and far between. It doesn’t feel appetizing then. Being surrounded by endless piles of laundry is super fun, too. Personal space is gone. I wish I remembered what that was like. AND everyone keeps saying “You’re going to miss this.”

And to that I say…. Don’t.

Please don’t tell me what I am going to miss when I’m in the middle of the battle. Sure, maybe someday I will miss a child screaming in a tantrum because she wanted the pink bowl… Nope, I don’t think I am going to miss that. Or maybe arguing with your tween because they wanted to go over to their friend’s house. Nope. Or cold coffee with an indiscernible item floating in it. Nope, not going to miss that either. How about running your daughter to hockey practice every weekend morning?

But I am going to miss having the pink bowl in my house because it will be replaced with matching dishware. I’m going to miss having my child in my home to argue with. She will be living elsewhere. Now she can go where she pleases without my approval. I will also miss my son putting random items in my coffee and dipping his fingers in my coffee because it tastes good. I will miss watching my daughter learn to skate and the determination and willpower she displays in the rink.

So, yes, I am going to miss all of this. I will miss the children in “This.” But not the negativity linked with it, which is what we seem to focus on.

I hope to change that.