they're growing up and I don't like it one bit! Summer used to be quiet and relaxing. I looked forward to the break in activities and schooling them. Now though summer is busier than the school year! One is gone all summer (I'm dealing better with that than I thought I would) and another is leaving today for camp. Then a week at home and another leaves for camp and so on all summer long! Then there's VBS at church thrown in and a few other things. I'm just trying remind myself though that one day they'll all be up and out and I won't be running anyone but myself anywhere.....yeah right! I've told them all I expect a houseful of grands and they'll probably want me to run them too! And with 6 kids I don't think a houseful of grands will be too hard to accomplish!

My mother always said the happiest home is which graduate other homes
You r lucky

Sometimes I miss my daughter being small but now that she's 11 she's not as needy as she was when she was small. Now she'll entertain herself so that I can sew. She, too, is leaving for camp two weeks from today but only for 5 days. That will be about 4 1/2 more than I can stand. We have more fun together now, we go shopping, garage saleing, etc. together. But I only have the one, not several all needing to go in different directions. Maybe that's the difference.

I loved it when mine were little. I still have 1 that is little and I cherish every moment of it. I have come to realize that I don't like teenagers at all. I have 2 of them, One 16 and one 14(almost 15) and I love them both and at the same time I can't stand them. Me and little man hang out together. He always tells me mommy I won't grow up I will stay your baby.

Mine's not a teen yet, we'll cross that bridge when it happens but I've heard it said that raising a teen is like trying to nail Jello to the wall.

You got that right. But I have them both terrified of me. My 16yr old is a girl and she just whines all the time gets on my nerves. The 14 yr old is a boy and he likes to challenge me but I just tell him if you like living here you better back down or I'm gonna beat the H--- out of you and then pack your bags. I don't remember that being a teenager was this hard, I loved being a teenager.

I have one that's 21, two that are teens, one preteen and two that are younger. The youngest who is 5 is my baby. He comes every morning to give me my good morning hug...then I get an afternoon hug too. lately he's been snuggling up with me at night till he falls asleep which is nice. But yeah everyone going in different directions is what is hard I think. The 19yo is my biggest helper and she is gone all summer so that makes it harder.

ughh! you couldn't pay me to be a teenager again! It was hard and awful. Thank you but I will take menopause and my gray hair any day of the week over being a teen again!

Whining gets on my nerves too. When DD started doing that a year or so ago I said, "If you have to whine then you obviously aren't getting enough sleep. We'll raise your bedtime by 1/2 hour each night until you can get enough sleep that you aren't whiny anymore." Somehow it ended almost immediately. Funny how that works. I did the same thing to my stepdaughter when she moaned and groaned at the breakfast table. Worked for her too.

Well I guess you could have some more! :lol:

I'm not having any more. I fixed that problem. Yes the DH is still here.

I would if I could but I've been filleted. I used to want a max of 12 and a minimum of 8. That was before I had any, I'm sure I'd have come to my senses around 3 or 4. But when you're 45 when the first one is born it's kinda hard to have a big family.

At one time I missed my children being small. It seemed to me strangers moved in with us when they turned 12. You still love them, worry about them, support them, but you still miss that warm snuggly feeling when they were small. And then then something wonderful happens! You get grandchildren! And they are even more fun that your own small children, and then you have another dry spell, and guess what, you get great grandchildren. That's where I am now and I'm enjoying everyday I babysit my 18 mo old grandson. He's the greatest.

My children are grown...28,22, and 20. I still remember all those school-age years of summer dance, gymnastics, band, VBS, church camp, cheerleading camp, cheer practice, tennis, volleyball, baseball, and 4H. From the moment my school would let out for the summer till school started again it was simply a race to the finish. People always think teachers just sit at home by their pools and do nothing all summer long and that is just plain wrong! I always was kind of happy to go back to school in the fall just to have my life slow down/calm down a little bit. Now, although those days are in the not so distant past, I have to tell you....I do kind of miss them.

Mine are 29 and 26 , so it has been a long time for me. I have tons of nieces and nephews and now they are having babies so I am still around young ones :lol: And after a week with my 7 yo niece I realized I "am" getting too old for younger kids :oops: LOL

Mine are grown up and it's great. They are doing well and best of all grandsons! All the joy, none of the discipline.

Mine are 37 and 30...and sometimes I wish they were small again, just so I could spank them when I think they're being bad!!
:lol:

I am sure I will miss these days when they are over, but right now, I feel like am constantly going from one place to the next.
In just a few minutes, we are off to swim lessons. Then, a few hours after that, Taekwondo lessons. I feel like summer is just as busy as the school year. My dh gets to experience what I do when he takes leave during the first two weeks of August when I go back to teaching. (My school year starts before our kids' school does.) By mid-July, I am ready to go back to work and not have to be running around all day.

Our oldest is 20 and pregnant with our first grandchild. She and her husband are in Haiti - now that she and I can be friends I miss her... did NOT miss her whining (all teen girls must do that). Our next one is 16 - he is so sweet... but can be smarty pants too. He is a wonderful boy and I will miss him when he leaves. Our last one is 13. He is such a help around here. If he's bored he'll drag out the cook books and begin experimenting (he's been known to make a table runner or two also!!) I love my children. Spend alot of time with them, as they are homeschooled. Enjoy the breaks I do get and will miss them when they are out of the house - for about a week - then I'll move on - I'm sure they will be back for many visits. - OH - and our boys STILL hug me good morning and good night - an occasional kiss goodnight too - and they don't even mind hugs in public yet!!

My daughter is 14 months and I am already lamenting her growing too fast! I try not to think too much about her being 5, 10, 15 or *shudder* old enough to move out...I am terrified of what the future will bring. She is so absolutely perfect right now. I want her to stay this way always! I miss her little baby-ness though...so much so that Hubby and I have decided that My Little Miss might need a sibling! :)

lol! NO! Not only did the factory shut down they carted all the equipment off!

my son was married on Friday evening. He is 25. I was devastated. I kept saying to him I'm not ready.

I feel the same way- somewhere time got away and they grew up. But now the grands are coming and I can regain my youth.

My hubby and I recently married in November of 2009, and seem to have all ages in our seven kids and one grand...

I have two older boys... 26 and 24. One granddaughter... 5 months. And one (thankfully) 15 year old daughter. Do all girls act like this at 15????

I also have four stepchildren, a 22y.o. daughter, a 21y.o. son, a 18y.o. daughter, and an 8y.o. daughter.

The three girls - 18, 15, and 8 - live with us and I have to admit that even though our 18y.o. is a special needs child and the 8y.o. is younger... it is my 15y.o. daughter that drive us all crazy at times! :) :( :?

I remember my nieces acting this way and they did come around, but WOW how do we get through these years!??

My three grandsons just left this morning around 10am. They are going back to Illinois. Being 800 miles away is hard but after 18 days of a 3, 6, and 8 year old running around, 1 or 2 days of quiet will be nice. Then it starts again, wishing my 35 year old and the kids were closer to me.

My two are taking college classes all summer long -- but at least they are home. In the fall, both will be away at school. (I home schooled them since PreK4, and now I am out of students!I can't figure out how the time passed so quickly when each day was soooo long.) They were great as teens, but now...well, they are thinking very independently...so I quilt as therapy!

we have 7 too- his/hers and ours. Sometimes I wonder how we did it- especially since I worked full time. But, they have survived to adulthood with hopefully, not too many mental scars (I joke- they all grew up together and treat each other as full siblings, not steps or halves).

Just getting ready to run to meet DD and DSIL and the babies (2 and 2 mos.) They are packing to go home to NC after a week here. I can't spend enough time with them and am already trying to work out going to see them.

The years go so fast. Enjoy every stage. Very quiet here as our 4 have flown the nest.

im with ginnie6, never my kids are 49,47. they still fight like they were 5 and 6, no cant see going back ,

Mine are all grown up and I miss them being little!! DD#3 is the only one in the house right now, she just graduated with her Masters Degree and is home until she gets married on October 30. We enjoy having her around, but I really miss when the kids and I would head to the beach, or the park or all kinds of places. Now all I get to do is work!!!

I used to til DD and DGD moved in with me. Now I have a small one all the time and I love it.

I do miss my children being small mime are 38,35,28 and 22.Know I don't have anyone to blame things on. LOL. Buy this is the truth I always told then I didn't raised you to grow up and move away (a Cancer nested thing) buy of course they all did. I so miss all the messy ice cream cones, there sweet little faces when they were sleeping and all things in between. I guess it's about time I should grow up. I guess I will kicking and screaming all the way.

As usual, I am going to say the opposite of everyone else. I am just strange, I know.

I liked my kids as teenagers - thought they were fun and it was cool to see them become individuals.

I do not think they grow up so fast. I thought it took forever and have never understood people who said it went too fast.

I have never spent one minute wanting them to be little again.

And heck, I'll throw this one in too so you really think I'm crazy - I think girls are easier to raise than boys.

I have four - 2 of each - 17, 19, 21 and 24.

wow, sounds like kids have a busy summer

Watching my grands every single day makes it easier for me. They are my little man Hudson who is 2 and just so adoreable, my little princess Adriana who really can be a diva, and Austin who is 13 and the girls just think hes it! I have little ones indoors and usually 5 or 6 13 yr olds outside on the trampoline and pool. At the end of the night I can hand all the kids safely into my poor over worked daughters hands. I stay there at least 2 nights a week to help her get them to bed, and we stay up too late talking....but its times I'll never forget.

My daughter is 21. She nows has a daughter and 2 step sons (my avatar). My son is 17, he is hardly ever home with work and the country boy stuff he does. I thought I would be upset more than I am. Now, I find myself calling my daughter and begging her to bring me my grandbabies. I never want to have a quiet house!