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The Real Milestone Chart
When my kids were babies, I remember spending hours carefully going through the milestone charts to find out when my kids should roll over, say their first word and be able to name 2 colors. In hindsight what I really wanted was a checklist of the milestones that would make my life as a parent easier.
If I was making such a list, I would be sure to include the milestone of your kids being able to open the car door for themselves and buckle themselves into their booster seat. You regain a great sense of freedom when you no longer have to do this 4237 times a day. And the day that they were able to put on their shoes and sock by themselves rates high on my list.
I will forever remember the first time that we went over to someone else’s house and I was able to hang out with the grownups instead of spending the evening sitting on someone else’s playroom floor listening to the laughter in the other room. I would also add being able to leave the kids in the yard while I ran house to get some water without worrying that they will show up at a neighbor’s house announcing that need a snack.
Each morning when my daughter wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and I hear her opening the freezer, I am thankful that we have also reached the milestone of her being able to heat up her breakfast biscuit in the microwave without me having to get out of my warm bed. After waking up early with her for many years, I feel very deserving of the extra minutes of sleep that I can now have.
Over the next several years, I know that I will be able to check off more milestones from the list. One day soon I will be able to leave my two kids standing outside the women’s restroom while I go inside alone confident that they will not destroy the store. And I am sure that the day that they can clean up their room with no helpful hints from me will be a highlight. But I am positive that the day that I can run out the store or go on a date with my husband without getting a babysitter because the kids are old enough to stay home alone will definitely be a good one.
What are the milestones that have made your life as a parent easier?
From Trike to Two Wheeler
Jennifer Gregory left Florida almost 11 years ago to escape the heat and enjoys living in a place where the seasons change. She lives in Youngsville, N.C., which she usually refers to as north of Wake Forest, and has been married to her husband for almost 10 years. As the mom of two kids and three dogs, her house is filled with lots of joyful noise and barking. Her daughter (7) is convinced that she will be a princess when she grows up and her son (5) has aspirations of being the next Dale Jr. After years of writing software documentation for various companies, she "retired" when her daughter was born to become a stay at home mom. Now that her kids are in school, she has finally figured out what she wants to be when she grows up. She spends her mornings as a freelance writer and her afternoons hanging out with her kids. The only things she misses about living in Florida are her friends and family, Publix fried chicken and going to Florida Gator football games.
Jennifer appears Mondays on TriangleMom2Mom.
Comments
Just what you mentioned....being able to leave the house without hiring a babysitter! It was the transition that most improved life for me! But iIve heard from older parents, that it's short-lived...they get to be a certain aged teenager when you don't dare leave them alone at home. HA! It never ends!
LOL! That is a very good point, I hadn't thought of that. I guess all milestones are a few steps forward and a few steps back.
A little independence in the bathroom goes a long way. Potty training is an obvious milestone, but ditching the diapers is really only half of it. It’s really nice when they can finally go in there and take care of everything without me. Of course, I still have two in diapers so…
I totally agree. Especially when you no longer have to ask them if they have to go. Very good point.
A friend whose son is about to enter middle school was lamenting to me that her son wasn't very tall. I explained that middle school is when the difference is so dramatic. The 6th graders look like pre-schoolers compared to the 8th graders.
In the past 6 months, my 14-year old son has surpassed me in height and when I hear him talking in the other room, I think it's my husband. The height and voice changes are so dramatic in boys!
I am pretty sure that both of my kids will be taller than me, Di. I know that the day that I am looking up to them will be a tough milestone.