Letter to My Son

Straightfromtheheart,amotherslettertoherfive-yearoldsononhisfirstdayofschooldescribingherparentingjourneyandwhatshelearntasaparentduringthatphaseofherlife.–ByPriyaChandran.Mydearson,Itseemslikeyesterdaythatwebroughtyouhomefromthehospital,andnowyouaremylittleman.YourfatherandIwereverynervousattheprospectofbeingfirsttimeparents.Itdidnotstrikeusuntilyouarrived-andthenithitus.Imustsay,yourfathertooktobeingadadprettyquickly;itwasalmostlikehehadbeenadadallhislife!ButIwasoverwhelmedbythisnewresponsibility.Tocareforthistinylifefortherestofmylife!WasIreadyforit?IttookawhileformetocometotermswiththefactthatIwasamotherandwasgoingtobeoneforever.Buttodayafterfiveyearsoflookingback,Icannothelpbutsmile.Itisafeelingoffulfillmentbeyondwords.AlthoughIamstillnotsureifIamagreatmother,IfeelthatIhavedonesomejusticetotherole.Everymilestoneofyourswasakindofpersonalvictoryforme.Yourfirstsmile,yourfirstword,yourfirststep....Iwasjustamazedandonceagainoverwhelmedatwhatalittlemiracleyouare.AstheyearspassedthingsstartedtogetverychallengingandsometimesIfoundmyselfinverydifficultsituations.Themessyoumade,thetantrumsyouthrew,andtheothermillionsofnaughtythingsyoudidreallystressedmeout.IhaveagonisedovermanyofthedecisionsIhadtomakewhenitcametodiscipline.Ihavehadmanyargumentswithyourdad.Butintimewelearnttoparentasateam.Westillhaveourdifferencesofopinionbuthavelearnedtolistentoeachother.ThetimesIwasaffectedthemostwaswhenyouweresick.Flu,earinfections,visitstothedoctor,sleeplessnights,antibiotics,shots......NowIhavelearnttotakethingsinmystrideanddealwiththemwithacalmmind.Theonethingthathelpedmetremendouslythroughthetoughestoftimeswasyoursmile-that1000wattglowmademeforgeteverythingandrealizeitwasallworthit.Soonitwastimeforpreschool.IpreparedyouasmuchasIcouldforthatdreadedfirstday,butyoucriedsomuchandIsatdownandcriedwithyou.Afterthefirstweekyouwerebetteradjusted,butIstillcriedbecauseIdidnotwanttoletgo.Preschoolflewby,Icouldnotkeepup.Beestings,baseball,karate,swimminglessons.....Todayyoustartkindergarten,yourfirstyearofproper,allday,everydayschool.Ijustwantyoutohavealotoffun,enjoyyourschoolwork,makegoodfriendsandmostofallbeagoodhumanbeing.Weliveourlifeinphases.Whenoneends,anotherbegins.Changeisconstantandlifeisshort.Soseizethemomentandlivelifetothefullest,havenoregrets.Ihavelearntsomuchfromyouandwillcontinuetodosofortheyearstocome.Howtoforgive,howtoloveunconditionallynotexpectinganythinginreturn,howtobeinnocent,howtoenjoythesmallthingsinlife,howtobecarefree….Thelistisendless....Thankyou!Youhavemademylifeworthwhile!Godblessyou!Loveualways,Mom

Straight from the heart, a mothers' letter to her five-year old son on his first day of school describing her parenting journey and what she learnt as a parent during that phase of her life. – By Priya Chandran. My dear son, It seems like yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital, and now you are my little man. Your father and I were very nervous at the prospect of being first time parents. It did not strike us until you arrived - and then it hit us. I must say, your father took to being a dad pretty quickly; it was almost like he had been a dad all his life! But I was overwhelmed by this new responsibility. To care for this tiny life for the rest of my life! Was I ready for it? It took a while for me to come to terms with the fact that I was a mother and was going to be one forever. But today after five years of looking back, I cannot help but smile. It is a feeling of fulfillment beyond words. Although I am still not sure if I am a great mother, I feel that I have done some justice to the role. Every milestone of yours was a kind of personal victory for me. Your first smile, your first word, your first step.... I was just amazed and once again overwhelmed at what a little miracle you are. As the years passed things started to get very challenging and sometimes I found myself in very difficult situations. The mess you made, the tantrums you threw, and the other millions of naughty things you did really stressed me out. I have agonised over many of the decisions I had to make when it came to discipline. I have had many arguments with your dad. But in time we learnt to parent as a team. We still have our differences of opinion but have learned to listen to each other. The times I was affected the most was when you were sick. Flu, ear infections, visits to the doctor, sleepless nights, antibiotics, shots...... Now I have learnt to take things in my stride and deal with them with a calm mind. The one thing that helped me tremendously through the toughest of times was your smile - that 1000 watt glow made me forget everything and realize it was all worth it. Soon it was time for preschool. I prepared you as much as I could for that dreaded first day, but you cried so much and I sat down and cried with you. After the first week you were better adjusted, but I still cried because I did not want to let go. Preschool flew by, I could not keep up. Bee stings, baseball, karate, swimming lessons..... Today you start kindergarten, your first year of proper, all day, everyday school. I just want you to have a lot of fun, enjoy your school work, make good friends and most of all be a good human being. We live our life in phases. When one ends, another begins. Change is constant and life is short. So seize the moment and live life to the fullest, have no regrets. I have learnt so much from you and will continue to do so for the years to come. How to forgive, how to love unconditionally not expecting anything in return, how to be innocent, how to enjoy the small things in life, how to be carefree…. The list is endless.... Thank you! You have made my life worthwhile! God bless you! Love u always, Mom