Some days I swear life hit the fast forward button the moment my daughter started high school. One second, I'm still learning how to pack a preschool snack correctly, and the next I’m dropping her off at Flag Football until 9pm, wondering when I signed up to become a full-time chauffeur (with no tips, by the way).
When I was pregnant, I heard it all: “Just wait…”
“Just wait until they start crawling.”
“Just wait until they hit the terrible twos.”
And of course, “Just wait until they start school—the years will fly.”
At the time, it all sounded dramatic. I thought, Sure, time moves, but how fast can it really go? Well, two kids later, I blinked and elementary school was in the rearview mirror. And now, two weeks into high school, I finally understand—this is what they meant.
Conversations feel different now. Gone are the endless requests to play and questions about “Why is the sky blue?” Now it’s about friends, sports schedules, and what she’s planning for the future. She spends more hours away at school and practice than she does at home (or at least that’s how it feels). And me? I find myself sitting in the car after drop-off, clutching my coffee and occasionally my heart, realizing that my little girl has turned into a young woman right before my eyes.
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The high school years are a whirlwind, but maybe they’re also an invitation. A reminder to soak up the car rides, the late-night practices, the quick check-ins between activities. To laugh when I’m tired, to cry when it hits me, and to savor this fleeting, beautiful chaos. Funny thing is, before all this I never jumped at the chance to drop or pick her up, now I find myself saying to my husband "It's ok, I'll take her"
Because while I can’t stop the fast forward button, I can choose to be present for every moment.
So if you’re in this stage too, just know—you’re not alone. Grab your coffee (or your tissues), and let’s press pause together in these little moments. 💛
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