All That Noise...I'm Going to Miss It Some Day

Our crew in Times Square

No, our house is no museum where everything is always orderly, clean, and quiet. It's more like a workshop! And on a Sunday afternoon when I'd like to enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet, I hear laughter, bantering, two children running around, one chasing the other, someone screaming 'stop!!', someone playing piano in the family room, all at the same time! Yes, a house with five children is no museum. So, today as I had a split second to be by myself in my bedroom, I observed, some day I will miss all this noise.

That was in my mind because earlier in the day, a friend of mine commented to me that his children are all gone now and the only thing he has left are pictures and videos. I'm sure he and his wife enjoy life in this new phase of life. But he told me he missed his children and I could tell he did. Then his wife added "when you have young children, that is your whole life!...then they leave and you don't know what to do with yourself."

So, there are at least two risks here...

On the one hand, 'putting up' with the mundane things of everyday life such as driving children around, making lunches, helping with homework, going to their activities, reminding them to put their coats up on the hanger for the 100th time, the never ending chores, etc. may keep us from truly enjoying this wonderful stage in life when the children are still at home.

On the other hand, letting that be 'life-as-we-know-it' may keep us parents from developing a relationship with our spouse independent from our children.

So, I'm determined to do a little better at both, enjoying the noise of life and more purposefully developing a relationship with my wife that is not centered around our child rearing tasks only.

After all, someday they will be gone and my house may look more like a museum, always orderly, clean, and quiet. And when that day comes, I hope to sit next to my wife and enjoy the videos, pictures, and good memories of all the noise my children make today. In the meantime, I'm happy with my workshop, noise and all!