Time travelling for parents

Parenthood is the ultimate paradox. Nothing is more wonderful, nothing is more challenging. My third child is now 2 months old, and we’re drowning in sleepless nights and endless cries where we don’t know what to do.

But I’ve found two perspective shifters that reveal the magic in the mayhem:

1. The 80-Year-Old You

Close your eyes. You’re 80. Your joints creak and your kids are grown. Suddenly, you’re time travelling back to now. This moment, with a crying baby and bags under your eyes. How much wouldn’t you give to be back in this exact moment?

2. The Last Time Illusion

One day, you’ll pick up your child for the last time. You’ll change the last diaper, give the last piggyback ride, read the last bedtime story. But this is the crucial point: You will never know it’s the last time when it happens. It’ll slip by, unnoticed.

Embracing the Chaos

Night wakenings have become my trigger for these perspective shifts. When the 2 AM cry jolts me awake, I pause and imagine my 80-year-old self, cherishing this fleeting moment of midnight connection. It doesn’t magically erase the exhaustion, but it does make those hushed, drowsy moments feel more meaningful.

One day, you’ll miss these endless crying sessions. You’ll long for reading that same book for the 20th time. These chaotic moments are the good old days in disguise.