10 Comments

Beautifully expressed, Emily. Thankyou.

Beware... the feelings repeat and repeat. First sleepover, first day of high school, first date, first exam, every exam, first day at Uni/ first job/ first trip away from home. Then it's first (every) heart break, first baby, and on it goes.

My 'babies' are 31 and 33, and still the red velvet covered rope from my heart to theirs (we used to visualise this 'heartstring' whenever they were worried about a new venture away from me) is tied firmly.

At least, I still feel it!!! I think their adventure seeking selves havent needed my heartstring for years, but my 'Mumness' will never stop caring about their fears and new learnings.

I love reading about how you and other young parents are building your children with such love and awareness.

Love to you all this week.

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I am crying. You have so beautifully captured the feelings I have carried as each of my sons has stepped out into the next part of their lives and left me feeling proud of them but stricken with grief. I think the bit that got me the most is when he said Dear Mama-it takes us back to your twitter days, ballet group and all the delicious lovely things he, and all our babies did before they turned 7 and conformed. Just absolutely beautifully written and expresses how we feel but don't share with anyone. Xxx

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Ooosh, this got me! Perfectly described and totally how my mother heart feels. I'm only at mid toddler stage but still so many firsts where you feel like you are leaving your soul when you leave your child for the first time. And I totally get now why my mother cried for 2 days straight on the drive home when she dropped me off at university. She said her heart broke 😢

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My son asked me a question this morning & when I turned to answer, the moment took my breath away. He’s 15 this year & is suddenly so grown up - it’s like having another adult in the house.

There are the milestones we expect & acknowledge but there are also the times - like today - when the nothing much carries the weight of everything.

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Trying not to cry reading this and struggling... so hard.

My oldest boy starts school in 2 days so this is feeling particularly timely.

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Wow. This really captured the grief and fear I have felt and continue to feel. It is a comfort that others share this too as, in these moments, I feel at sea and so alone.

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You just nailed motherhood with a single post Emily. Respect.

(And tears)

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Gosh I love this. You have captured all the mother feels perfectly. I was trying to explain the other day to someone just this. But it was hard to capture. This, this just says it all.

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I feel like this just dropping off at childcare for the day. School may end me 😭

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Aaaahhhh tears again, so beautifully written. Thanks, Emily Xx

My eldest starts his last year of primary tomorrow, too, and then he'll be away for camp next week which means he is not going to be home with us for three nights, plus entering my last trimester baking the next bub = I have all the feels *sigh

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