Life happens so intensively and so rapidly we do not get many chances to reflect on it. Parenting children is a long and important part of our life, so when we live it every day, it is easy to feel things will always be this way – homework, bedtime stories, teaching new kills, the heavy responsibility and the fantastic moments of joy.
But it is not. Time flies when you are having kids.
In the past few weeks, Ronit and I have done some reflection and some planning. Last week, we went away on our own for a couple of days and spent most of that time dreaming about the future and coming to many important realizations about how our life will change.
In 3 weeks, Tsoof will be graduating from high school. In 5 months, he will be going to university. In less than a year, he will get his driver’s license.
In just over a year, Eden will finish her Bachelor’s degree and start working in psychology, while she continues to study. Shortly after that, Noff will start going to high school (she is our baby and she is only 10 now, but this is what will happen, whether we believe it or not).
In 4 years, Eden will get a Doctorate in Psychology and may already have a serious partner. Tsoof will get a Bachelor of Music, having probably built a serious track record in the Brisbane music scene and a solid portfolio of compositions. Noff will be 14 and will be able to travel independently on public transport. She will also be very busy with drama, dancing, singing, playing the flute and homework assignments.
In 7 years, Noff will finish high school and already have a driver’s license.
After that, who knows?
In previous generations, when people lived to around 70 and their last few years were spent quietly and often around hospitals, this meant Ronit and I would have another 12 or so good years to look forward to. However, technology evangelists claim that within 20-25 years, mankind will have the ability to cure most illnesses and even regenerate, and this means we may live to be 500, if we just look left and right before we cross the road (What road? In 50 years, we will all be flying).
This reflection has made us think of how precious every moment we have with our children is. Even the bad ones. There is no going back. Kids grow and then they are grown and they can never ride on your shoulders or giggle at silly nothings ever again.
It also made us realize how much our life is going to change and how many things we had better start doing to get ready. Our home, our cars, our financial considerations, our schedule and many other aspects of our lifestyle are going to change, then change again and then change some more. Now, we have to consider the kids first, but in the very near future, it will mostly be just us and this brings with it a lot of freedom.
We will have a lot of flexibility and free time, in which we should keep developing ourselves, having a good time and enjoying each other’s company more than ever before.
After working hard much of their lives and waiting eagerly for a free moment, many couples separate shortly after their children leave home. What seems to be the most positive thing when it is scarce becomes a dangerous thing when you have too much of it.
Thank God for grandkids. Eden should get started on them sometime in the next 7 years too. We only hope she will live close enough for us to see them often.
Maybe we will start writing a grand parenting blog…
What will happen to you in the next 7 years?
Happy parenting,
Gal
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