I am discovering every day with a toddler is an adventure. Not the ‘Exploring Disneyland Florida’ type of adventure either. The swing on a 25kg backpack, jump on a crowded bus next to locals, goats and chickens, end up sitting on the floor – for 16 hours. Get lost, have stuff stolen. Climb a huge mountain, in the rain. Dance with hypothermia. Eat with locals, walk under shooting stars. Chill at the beach. Get home and remember through rose tinted glasses type of adventure.
Yeah, I had that adventure.
Raising kids is different, same roller coaster, same ups and down. Less choice to end it once its begun. More amazing, more depth and far more emotion. Days are different, even within our routines that shape our life. Some days just roll by, while others have clarity and grace. They are day that aren’t marked by exciting events, simply just moments. For us they are days of grace, moments to pause before we pay our dues to toddlerdom. Tantrums, bargaining, cajoling and pleading.
Moose is at such a great place, she’s challenging, funny, cheeky and at times downright obstinate. Possibly a little insecure occasionally, just a normal toddler trying to make sense of the big world she’s living in. We are trying really hard to make sure we savour every day, every little moment. Not sweat the small stuff.
Sometimes I find myself getting caught up in the things I cannot change right now, questions for the future, schools, friends, will she be popular, will she be bullied. And the more immediate, why has she suddenly got shy, can I stop her saying ‘no’ so much. How do I encourage her to find her own inner play and creativity and not need me by her side at every second. How do you guide a toddler through life?
Then we find moments, like the moments you climb through the clouds, see a shooting star, are offered mint tea by a local. But they are even better, more intimate, based around our real life, relationships, little moments we can recreate, without flying for hours and sitting on bus floors.
These are our days
