What things made you realise you don't have 'little' kids anymore?

[Echobelly]

Mine are 9 (nearly 10) and 13 now, and it does kind of creep up on you gradually.

It was things like seeing a Cbeebies magazine and realising I didn't know anything about most of the programmes referred to (thank God)

Filling in reviews of holiday stuff and realising we didn't fit under 'families with young children' anymore once my youngest was past about 8.

Cleaner mixing up mine and eldest's shoes

Getting ads on social media for events and things and thinking 'Mine are way too old for that', in fact generally seeing lots of stuff your kids are too old for.

When DS comes in from work and has a beer from the fridge. Almost 18 and working as a labourer.

Not about my own DC since they're both still little but I have a sister who is 10 years younger than me and sometimes it just hits me that she's no longer the little terror throwing nappies around the room or watching Charlie and Lola, but is in fact a software engineer and doesn't find guys gross anymore 😭

When you get up to go to work in the school holidays and just leave them asleep in bed. Also when you get to the end of summer term and don't need to book childcare for the holidays, bliss.

When my local museum advertised events for ages I no longer had. I'd spent years doing those, and every now and then I see them or similar and it's like 'huh, mine aren't little anymore'.

Also, yes, not being the mum of little ones in the park anymore nervously watching as they got stuck in (or with two of mine, squirrelling it up the highest point possible in a blink), but the parent telling my bigger kids to watch out for little ones.

When we went for a day out and suddenly they all looked too big to be out on a forced family outing , sitting in a tea shop and all the other families had little children and we had gangly teenagers. Felt abit bad that maybe it was what I wanted to do but maybe not what they would choose. Sad!

Yeah, a real watershed in the last year that DD can just be left to her own devices to see her mates over summer and not having to plan every moment!

when you can watch Die Hard with them and not worry about yippikiyay motherfucker
🤣

For me ( many years ago ) there were a few “ landmarks”

1. Going out without spare pants and a lidded cup in my bag
2. Buying the final pair of school shoes
3. Being picked up from my friends house by my child driving my car

My eldest grandchildren have also passed no 1 on my list and one is coming up to no 2!

Not having gone to a playground in ages
Not planning any swing/play area in new garden
Binge watching American comedy series w DS
It's fab! DS is 9.

As mentioned, the kids having no memory of their favourite shows. The earworms live on in my heart and mind and yet my kids think MLG Peppa Pig is actually Peppa Pig (they don't really ). But yeah, I'll mention In the Night Garden, Clangers, Wiggles (going waaay back) and be really taken aback by their total lack of recall for not just the shows but their love of them. Though they all remember loving Numberjacks for some reason. Spooky Spoon lives on! The Numbertaker! There's something unforgettable about Numberjacks.

When they can do up their own seat belts! So liberating to just be able to get in the car and go, without scrabbling around with buckles.

When they are the ones to teach you how to download an app/do something on your iPad/use the Fire TV, etc

Having to pick DS up from the train station at 9 after a call from the bus company. He was meant to be getting one bus directly home but it turns out he had been regularly getting on an earlier one with friends then changing to his bus at another school. Except this time he had forgotten to get off the wrong bus.

Nine years old, not 9am or pm.

Clothes and shoes suddenly being more expensive! Think it happens when they hit about 8 or 9.

When there's no longer toys all over the floor

Going camping with another family with a 2 year old and realising I don’t have to supervised my children that much any more.

This year I haven't booked 5 weeks of summer activities, either one of us will be off or they can amuse themselves and be home alone for a couple of hours. My babies are growing up.

@NewallKnowall

I think it hits me when at bedtime, I can just send them up to get ready and then pop in to say goodnight to a washed, tooth brushed, room tidied child who is curled on their bed reading...

You yearn to not be so needed, and then...

Yeah, my older one is like this. I can't wait until younger one is the same! But I think he will remain more needy for ages, he is 4, but not really as chilled as his older sibling.

Sorting socks.

@TheVanguardSix
The earworms live on in my heart

Fabulous!

Mine is still pretty little, but we left her Peppa Pig scooter outside the nursery recently until pick up, and after we got home she told me she had a little cry as her friends told her she was a baby for liking Peppa still. So she is old enough now for peer pressure to play its part..

Hearing mums with toddlers talking about soft play and thinking thank god DS is too old for that now.

Had a moment today actually when I went to pick up DS from school. All the children starting Reception in September were there today for a taster day and they looked so TINY!

@TheVanguardSix

I loved your whole post! If you’re not a writer you should be!