okay, be honest, how do you feel when your kids are getting older?

[Fio2]

not babies?

you have stayed at home, nurtured them, and then they go to school, nursery

You think I know I'll go to college, go back to work. Doesnt feel the same does it?

ok how do you feel? dont tell me everythings perfect, i will vomit

I loved it as they got older. Now I'm panicking about university fees as DD (14) wants to go to law school or Oxford. As a straight A student she will get in somewhere, but assures me she will have made her first million by then, and will also get a fantastic grant!

mie are not quite at that point millaways wish they were

its sort of just the shift between having them here and not having them here iykwim

my ds is 10 almost 11 and i am heartbroken at hte thought of him leaving me I know its tragic to admit and he has no idea but I love him so much it's hard

I love watching them grow. DS1 is 12 and he's getting so independent. I can see the young man that he will become. The girls are beginning to stretch out and DD1 (10) just gets prettier and prettier and I get occasional hints of the young woman she's becoming. I don't have too much time to feel sad at the passing of their babyhood and pre-adolescence as DD2 is 6 and the DTs are 14months next week. I think that when the DTs reach DS1's current age then I'll start to feel sad (either that or ecstatic that independence has come and I've more time for salsa and travel lol

bloody hel trefusis, that is just what i mean

I just thought, yes I will have my life back. But reality is, i dont. its not my husbands fault. But even doing a Uni course seems impossible and I dont really want to work in ajob which i will earn quite good money again just to be bored senseless

and then i despair about my kids

5 and 3, but coming up to 6 and 4

my eldest has special needs which ins ome ways makes things more complicated

i feel like a selfish cow tbh

Hmm dunno, some days i love it that they are growing up and can entertain themselves a bit more, but then other days i wish they were all still babies.

I want ds to be a baby forever.

I really agree with noddyholder. My oldest has just turned 11 and is in his final primary school year. On one hand I'm delighted that he's becoming more independant but deep down I feel quite bereft already!! How sad am I ???

thankyou emerald!the funny thing is I never really wanted kids and have never been the sentimental type but this has really affected me

i cried my eyes out when my first baby started school ,highschool then left home and have been the same with the others too,i still walk into there old room and touch there bed and the last left monthes ago, i felt it was the same as grieving!

ds starts school in sept and already im feeling weird....
dd only 5mths so got ages with her...

its certainly making me and dp think about no 3!

my mam says its why she had 5 of us....

ooohh, fostermum, don't get me going! I thought I was the only one who was ridiculously sentimental. All the kids were back at school today and I found myself wandering around their rooms too!

I remember when ds1 was nearly 7 and I thought how old he was and I got a bit nostalgic. Now he is 11 and ds2 is 10 and I can't believe how fast time has flown. I must admit I do dread them leaving home as though they can be hard work, they are also really good company, especially as dh works away. I find we can have proper conversations now.

we all txt each other to say goodnight every night like modern day waltons