It feels like just yesterday I was packing tiny lunchboxes, tying little shoes, and snapping pictures of gap-toothed smiles on the first day of kindergarten. And now, somehow, I’m staring down the final chapters of their school years—wondering how the days turned into years so quickly.
There’s something uniquely emotional about watching your children move through school. Each grade seems to bring a new milestone: the first book they read on their own, their first science project, the first time they walked into school without looking back. I remember those moments so clearly, and yet they feel like they belong to a different lifetime.
In the beginning, school years felt like entire eras. The school year was long enough for big changes-new friends, favorite teachers, growing inches taller. But somewhere along the way, time sped up. The transitions from one grade to the next started blurring together, and now I’m amazed at how fast it’s all going.
The friends Paul and Grace have made are some of the most important friendships of their lives. From playground buddies to teammates and classmates who turned into confidants, these connections have been constant through all the change. Some of those friends have become family, sharing everything from birthday parties to late-night study sessions. It's heartwarming to see how those bonds have deepened over the years. There’s something beautiful about growing up alongside someone and going through the same ups and downs, year after year.
Report cards turned into high school schedules. Playdates turned into late-night texts. Show-and-tell became presentations and college prep. And as I watch them grow more independent, I can’t help but feel a tug at my heart. I’m proud, of course, beyond proud but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the days of backpacks bigger than they were.
I used to hear parents say, "The days are long, but the years are short." I never truly understood it until now. It’s not just a cliché it’s a warning, and a reminder. These moments are fleeting. The after-school chats in the car and the fridge covered in A+ papers. They don’t last forever.
So, if you’re a parent reading this in the thick of it whether your child is just starting school or nearing the end, hold on. Take pictures. Go to the school events. Be present, even when it's chaotic. Because one day, you'll look back and wonder just like I am. How did it all go by fast?
Written By: Kathy Michaels, HBR Parent