I sit here in the high heat, sweaty and hot, even in the shade. Two little girls call to me from the pool, one to watch, the other beckoning me to play. A little boy tugs on my arm begging me to hold him in the water where he is too short to touch the bottom and obviously too old to play in the baby pool. For we all know the baby pool is for babies and a five-year old is NOT a baby. Meanwhile, a cranky infant cries as if she is melting, unconsolable on my breast. It’s the middle of her naptime and she is anything but asleep.
I wonder what in the heck I was thinking when I thought bringing four kids of differing ages to the pool was a good idea. Four kids of the same age, heck yeah, doable. Totally doable. And sometimes even fun. Four kids ranging from tween to infant? Not so much.
I look with envy at my friends – the ones who are my age – sipping their water and watching their kids play happily in the pool. Their kids are either just reaching the stage where playing with their mom is totally uncool, or the age where they’re enjoying the freedom that floating around in a lifevest affords them. Apparently (and usually thankfully) all my kids still think I’m cool.
About the time I want to cry she does this….
The girl who clung to the side of the pool for the last 3 years, the one who fought so hard NOT to be on the swim team, the girl who was mad at me for weeks that she had to go to the pool. This is the same one. Or not….. she isn’t the same. She’s free from fear. The fear that had her clinging, and hanging, and crying. She broke through to the other side and is having the time of her life.
And it dawned on me. This is why. This is why I drag four kids of varying ages to the pool. This is why I’m a hot, sweaty mess… trying not to be embarrassed or jealous as I watch all the moms who seem to have it together so much more than I do.
THIS.
Comments (3)
Thank you for this! I desperately needed some encouragement today. My youngest tow are 6 and 8, my oldest 17 and I am 49. My friends are in the stage of big kids and although I love my little guys and wouldn’t change anything I am tired a lot. I get jealous of my friends sitting around the pool chatting when my 6 year old (who is very small for his age) wants me to play with him in the pool or be in the water while he is jumping. I think I will make “This is why” my internal motto as we begin our homeschooling year. Thanks again.
this is why is what your precious children will remember for all their years that their mom cared enough to take them to the pool and interact with them- I will so proud to see the jump off the board as I remember your stress about the pool and her not wanting to go. I love it that you love your kids enough to give 110% of yourself even when there are other things that would be easier.
Good for you! Your kids will remember these days and thank you and appreciate these moments when they get older. I know this because our adult children tell us that all the time.
Gail
Annapolis, MD