Parenting blogs are a dime a dozen these days. Moms, dads, single parents and couples alike all find ways to use social media to share their funny, challenging, heartbreaking, and oh so true insights when it comes to raising kids.
While each blog and social media post has their merit, there are some passages that just resonate. This post by Alyce Kominetsky, a blogger and mother to a 6-year-old, really hit home for a lot of parents. She compared raising children to “ripping off a bandaid”. Read on to find out if her words speak to you, too.
“You know that feeling when you rip off a bandaid?
I've been thinking about how parenting can mimic that exact feeling.” she begins.
“As our children grow, we watch them become more independent. We celebrate each and every milestone. We watch as the people we created become thriving and incredible human beings.
But, with each milestone they reach...a little piece of us gets torn away.
The initial fear of pulling away...
the tugs on our flesh...
the exposure of our skin.”
Alyce compares the growth of children to the fear of that initial pull of a sticky bandage. Parents start to worry about losing that closeness with their kids, missing them, and coming to terms with the fact that one day they’ll be out of the house for good.
“Parenting with our heart is like ripping off a bandaid.
The pull of our emotions, the tugs on our heartstrings, our love exposed.
Raw and vulnerable.
It's impossible to avoid ripping the band aid off. It can't stay on forever.
And, much like raising our children...we have to let them go.
It's not easy. It's terrifying and painful to watch them venture off.”
Alyce says that been a parent is so vulnerable, and your heart is so exposed from loving someone so much. Pair that with the fear of them flying too far from the nest, and you’ve got that raw, exposed wound feeling that a band aid is there to protect.
“But, we hope that we have given the time, support and love so that the pain is brief and the reward is great.
We will heal and they will hopefully never venture too far.
Because, we are the ones who kissed their banged knees and scraped elbows. We are the ones who celebrate alongside every cherished moment. We are the ones who cry with them when hearts are broken. We are the ones who do our best to heal their aching wounds. We are the ones who encourage and teach.” She writes.
The loving mother and eloquent writer wraps up her post with these words: “We are their bandaid; always and forever.”
Do you agree?
