(Or five things I wish I'd known earlier.)
That babies don’t last forever. They have a use-by date. And it’s not very long. Before you know it, they’re all grown up and are leaving home.
That children don’t care about a clean house. They don’t remember the times it was shining like a display home. What they do remember is whether or not you took the time to kiss a skinned knee better, to read a story, to answer a question (even if it was the same question you’d answered only a minute ago), to build cubby houses, to climb trees, to teach them to ride a bike.
To take time to jump in puddles, to follow a snail’s trail, to make mud pies, to collect shells, to go for a slow walk, to watch the clouds float by.
Not to cry over spilt milk. Or sugar. Or cordial. Or cocoa. Like fingerprints on windows and furniture, this too will pass.
To do more. More laughing. More listening. More cuddling. More taking of photos.
Cleaning and scrubbing
Can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up,
We've learnt to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs,
Dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby,
And babies don't keep!
That babies don’t last forever. They have a use-by date. And it’s not very long. Before you know it, they’re all grown up and are leaving home.
That children don’t care about a clean house. They don’t remember the times it was shining like a display home. What they do remember is whether or not you took the time to kiss a skinned knee better, to read a story, to answer a question (even if it was the same question you’d answered only a minute ago), to build cubby houses, to climb trees, to teach them to ride a bike.
To take time to jump in puddles, to follow a snail’s trail, to make mud pies, to collect shells, to go for a slow walk, to watch the clouds float by.
Not to cry over spilt milk. Or sugar. Or cordial. Or cocoa. Like fingerprints on windows and furniture, this too will pass.
To do more. More laughing. More listening. More cuddling. More taking of photos.
Cleaning and scrubbing
Can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up,
We've learnt to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs,
Dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby,
And babies don't keep!
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