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It’s July 2024. I am about to turn 44.

They are growing up, these children of mine. I watch it every single day.

It happened quick.

I came home the other day to a clean house. It wasn’t clean before I left. My 13-year-old had earphones in, singing, cleaning and making my heart smile.

On Friday, my almost 8-year-old son asked his brother to make him breakfast whilst he found his own school uniform.

I watch my eldest read books, with so much passion and interest that he is lost in the world he is reading about. The next morning, after I have gone to sleep, he will report he was up till midnight just to finish the chapter.

This year - my almost 8-year-old has packed his school bag with his lunchbox every day. And not forgot it once.

When I think of these memories, it gives me so much joy to see my children growing up to become independent capable young boys.

Yes boys. I am not ready to say men yet.

These memories I have will remain with me. Making me smile, sometimes cry and always proud for many years.

The things is, these are my memories. Of my children. And I am not in them. It's just them.

I am busy doing other things while my children are busy growing up.

I know this is life. I have read, listened, and talked about the need to find ourselves again after we have children. I understand the saying “you can’t pour from any empty cup”. I know the importance of maintaining a close relationship with my mum friends so can ride this roller coaster together. And I know you don’t earn a rest. You need a rest.

And I really mean all that. We should make time for ourselves. We definately should.

But as our children grow in front of us, we also need to make sure that we are in their memories. And not just for the big moments.

We know that they will remember the holidays you brought them on. They will remember the parties that you threw them. They will remember when you taught them to drive. The big ones.

But I hope that you will slip into to those daily memories too. And by slipping into those daily memories, that they will mimic the memories for their kids - when or if they are fortunate to have their own.

Even it is little. But the everyday things. Be in those memories. Teaching them how to turn the washing machine on - or where you keep your car keys daily as you are so used to losing.

When we are drowning in laundry, ticking off our work task list, making sure we are not wasting that gym membership, it is easy to forget daily memories can be made.

Memories don’t have to appear on social media, with filters, reels and music to show they mean something. Memories are the relationship between you and your family. That a Facebook post doesn’t capture.

No-one really needs to see how you and your kids make pictures out of your Strava runs. They don’t need to see that when you walk your dog, he avoids the puddles as he is petrified of them. And they don’t need to see the dance parties that occur when you are packing the dishwasher together.

They are your memories.

To make.

As your children grow in front of you, where you can, make sure you are in their daily memories.

Not that they are just in yours.

They are growing up these children. Every single day.