The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short

“Hold on to the tiny moments and cherish the little snuggles. They grow up so fast!”

Our assistant editor recently took her 13-year-old daughter shopping for a grade eight graduation dress. She was shocked by how quickly the years had flown by! She recounted tales of the snowy October day her daughter was born, of the trip to the optometrist at age three when they found out she needed glasses, of the time she dropped to her knees in a mud puddle at Niagara Falls. And now, here she is, getting ready to head into high school.

We all have moments when we realize our children are growing quickly. They’re a reminder for us to slow down, make memories and enjoy all the little things in life. April is a time of rebirth, of starting again, of stopping to smell the crocuses, daffodils and tulips. So, take this m o n t h to notice changes in your little one too – have they learned a new skill, said a first word, shown their true personality?

As we watch our babies and toddlers work on new skills, a parent’s job is to encourage and protect them. We’ll learn from the MHLU about preventing childhood falls on page 8. We can also develop and grow as a family by expanding our family’s food repertoire. Cookbook author Carolyn Hemming explains why it’s dangerous for adults and children to constantly choose the same foods.

We’ll also hear from a teacher and father, Frank Emanuele, about equal rights for dads. With a growing number of dads taking an active role in their child’s upbringing (whether those are stay-at-home, single, traditional, sharing custody, gay dads, etc.), he’s shocked by the lack of private and sanitary places for a man to change a baby’s diaper. Looks like we need to make some changes, world!

Change is good! As much as we might miss that little baby we held warmly in our arms, it’s so exciting to see a toddler drinking from a cup, a preschooler no longer in diapers, a school-kid who can ride a two-wheeler, or a teenager who is choosing to wear Converse All-Stars with her grad dress!

 

Sabina Manji, a lifelong Londoner, is an irrepressible entrepreneur, mother of a wonderful son, and also a committed volunteer.