So lately Aaron, my 5-year-old, has been rather obsessed with learning to drive. It breaks a mom’s heart a little to think about her baby growing up and not needing her. I have already experienced Lauren and Aaron not needing me to change their diapers, get them dressed, brush their teeth,push them on the swing, bath them, and most of the time even fix their food. They are rather self-sufficient, (which I know is the point, but it still makes you feel a little less important on those milestones).
I start to think about the day that he will drive, and then go to college and then get married, and not really need me at all. When he first said that he wanted to learn to drive, I thought, “Man he already is planning to leave me”. Most days I am fine with my role as a parent and I totally understand, my job is to help them to learn, grow, and want to leave, be independent, and become grown ups. However I was hoping for a little more than 5 years to achieve that goal.
With that said, last night Aaron, the same boy obsessed with learning to drive comes out of his room after bed time and says, “Mom, is it ok if I still live with you when I’m big?”
I replied, “Yes Aaron, you are always welcome at Mom and Dad’s”. I know tomorrow he will be plotting his freedom but for now I am just happy that one day when he was 5 he still thought he would be happy to live with me when he is a grown up, and some days that is just nice for a mom to hear.
