“Mum, I am now your height!” my 12-year-old exclaimed, standing by my shoulder and measuring her height.
This is an ongoing conversation, and for the umpteenth time, she spoke out what she believed – that she has grown taller than me!
Just as I was about to respond, my youngest butted into the conversation with a big grin, “In ten years”, he declared with a big grin, “I’ll be taller than you both!”
I stood smiling at the banter and responded calmly, “My height is perfect at 5ft. 7, and I’m happy to be a mother to giants,”.
“I’m taller than you, Mum,” my eldest declared, her eyes gleaming with pride as she walked past me. (And she is taller than me!)
These, my housemates, have turned me into a measuring stake! And let me not even begin to write about how they endlessly tease their father about dwarfing him soon with their height, even though he is a full six feet tall.
These moments remind us of how fast children grow and the importance of deliberately sowing seeds of love, care, and open communication so they blossom into wholesome, confident, and happy adults. These endless teasing and conversations make up the cherished memories, we carry through life.
Cherishing Every Moment
Just a few days ago, my teenage daughter sent me a track on Spotify track to listen to. Oh, gosh! I loved the lyrics, the beats, and the music. How did she discover this beautiful soundtrack? When it feels like I’m stuck with the familiar, drawn to a particular music genre, she surprises me. Again, that reminded me how fast children grow or how gracefully I am aging.
My family is at the heart of everything I do and I always cherish every moment spent with them, valuing these times as priceless. I often write about the strength, stability, and support a loving family brings as we traverse the diverse facets of our lives. Family here entails any close relative who showers you with attention, love, and care.
Recently, I recorded the first studio edition of Trendy Mum Talks and my guest further highlighted the importance of prioritising family amidst the demands of everyday life. Interestingly, she embodies my definition of a full-time working mum!
- A full-time pediatric nurse
- Co-founder of a startup of one of the most loved skincare brands in the UK – Nursem
- A mum to three boys under 10
- A wife
I enjoyed her perspective on navigating motherhood, work, and other roles. You can watch the making of that podcast here.
Family is Everything
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox
Here are a few tips that have helped me deliberately build my bond with my family and prioritise them:
- Daily Affirmations: We dish out and receive loads of “I love you,” “I miss you,” hugs, and kisses daily.
- Valuing Opinions: Everyone has a say in our household. We respect and listen to our kid’s opinions; there is no dictatorship here.
- Quality Time: We enjoy spending time together and strive to make it memorable, whether it’s eating meals, praying, discussing books/scriptures and movies/ trends, cooking, cleaning, or setting goals and discussing our challenges. We know we are in it together.
- Established family Traditions: We have special family traditions, like weekly games/movie nights and special holiday rituals. These activities help us bond and create happy memories.
What did I miss out on? Drop it in the comments section!
