To be sad he's growing up

[Ticktockbigclock]

Ds starts school in a matter of weeks and I've realised he's nearly 5! I've decided to have no more kids due to age and mental health so he's an only. I feel like he's growing up too fast!

@Quincythequince

Unnecessary.

Why post that? Also the posts your disgusted by maybe those people have good reason to be over emotional about it.

YANBU, ignore the misery fairies on this thread who think a parent being sad that their one and only child is all of a sudden growing up and starting school, closing a chapter is hard and knowing you will never a pre schooler again is hard to deal with.

How anyone can't get that baffles me. I'd go so far as to question those who feel nothing in situations like this, really cold.

OP I get what you mean. For me I wouldn't say I'm sad but a little emotional, especially around birthdays and milestones. My DS just turned 3 and I was going thorough old photos just reminiscing on how tiny he use to be and how much he's grown and changed. I cried for a few minutes. Its allowed!

There’s definitely grief along with the joy of watching them grow up. It’s best to just let those feelings out, many of us feel the same. Allow yourself a cry and then think of all the amazing things he’s achieved

I loved the baby stage but 2.5 to 4 was hard! I didn't make the most of it.

Op, I could have written exactly this except I have a girl.
She'll be 5 in December. She will also be my only and my reasons for that are exactly the same as yours.
But we are all getting older, it's just with little ones you see more changes quickly.
Enjoy every stage, I try to squeeze some fun in each day and tell DD I love her every night before bed 💜
I never understood why people used to get upset about their kids getting older until she hit 3. I hated baby and toddler stage. Now I'd like to go back one more day. Hindsight is a powerful thing.

We have 3 dc, dd1 is 22, ds is 20 and dd2 is 18.

We're just back from holidays (no longer dictated to by the school holidays!) and had a fabulous 2 weeks in Croatia. The dc each brought a partner and they took over with cooking, clearing up, laundry so I was given a real break.

I miss their tiny selves, but am loving getting used to having adult relationships with them and the important people in their lives. We went on day trips, hung out by the pool, ate great food both in restaurants and at our villa (dd1s boyfriend turned out to be a master of the barbecue!).

They're turning into such great young adults, all of them studying something they're passionate about. They work hard, play hard, get on well together and even including their old parents in what their up to. They have good relationships with their grandparents.

I miss heir tiny selves, but I couldn't be prouder of what they are becoming, and that's where it all came from, the relationships when they were tiny. What you are doing now is making them into what my young folk have become.

I wish I'd started younger and didn't have a shit ex and fertility issues.

Thank you x

It's really normal to feel this way, I know lots of people who feel the same, or have felt the same in the past, including me. Starting school is notoriously a big step forwards, and to say that you're being unreasonable for having some feelings about it is daft. Don't beat yourself up about what you have or haven't done, hindsight is a wonderful thing. Mothering well is a tough job, and a series of little gains and losses, joys and pains which balance out, so be kind to yourself, you sound like a loving caring mum.