Mom's fresh perspective is for all those parents who're tired of hearing 'you'll miss these days'

Most parents out there hear one statement constantly. "You'll miss these days." People seem to enjoy reminding us of the ever-changing stages of parenthood and the wonder of having young children. Yes, parents do come to miss their children's innocence and adorable quirks and expressions as they grow up, but is that all that there is to it?

Do we have to miss "everything?" What happens if we... don't. We rarely hear about how wonderful it can be to have big kids and watch our little ones grow into self-sufficient and independent adults. Every stage of their growth can be enjoyed by parents with their own set of challenges and precious moments. One mom provided a fresh perspective on this subject in an Instagram post that struck a chord with many parents.

Emily Feret, a mother and popular content creator known for her "normalizing normal" videos, reminds us that there is so much more to look forward to than what we will miss. Sharing a picture of herself relaxing on a lounge chair while her child comes out of a swimming pool, she wrote: "Remember when we had to pack all the diapers? And buy the sun hats and pack bottles and hold them while we dipped their toes in the water, all for them to have a meltdown 30 minutes into the trip that made us have to go home?"

"Remember looking at the moms reading on lounge chairs and wishing for the day to come?? Today it happened. I, while still having to keep a close eye on the little ones, sat poolside as they swam near me. I sat and chatted with a friend. I was in the stage that I used to long to be in," Feret shared.

She continued, "This isn’t a post to remind you to 'enjoy these days, you’ll miss them when they are gone' - it’s instead to say 'one day that stage will be over, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.' Everything is temporary good and bad. There are stages I miss desperately and some I’m glad to leave behind. And that's ok. Time always keeps moving forward. #normalizingthenormal." The parents among her followers agreed with her antidote and were appreciative of her sharing this perspective.

"Thank you for forgoing the mom's guilt and speaking the truth. It’s Okay not to miss every stage!!" commented @royalhawk526. "Thank you for this! I have a 9 month old and I keep seeing posts that are just like WAIT FOR THE TODDLER STAGE YOU THINK IT'S HARD NOW ETC ETC. CBA with this fear-mongering!" wrote @rosie_ellen93. "The BEST thing I had ever heard was from my cousin and she said 'It keeps getting better and better from here' and I loved that because I hated hearing 'Just you wait it gets worse.' Why do people say that?!" added @abbey_inthe_mtns. 

Within two days of being posted, the post received over 2k likes. Feret's Instagram post provides validation for moms who feel similarly, as well as hope for moms who are currently in the "I'm drowning" phases of parenthood. Parenthood is a mixed bag of good and bad. It is up to the parent to process each stage however they want to.