Not much in my six year old son’s wardrobe warrants being hung in the closet. His athletic clothing tends to fold up nicely and fit in his dresser without wrinkling. But, once in a while he gets a shirt or pair of pants that need to be hung up.
I recently got him a new polo for Easter, and went to hang it in his closet. I grabbed one of the small, “baby” sized hangers that I’ve been using for 6 years. To my dismay, his polo slid right off the hanger. Certain it was my error, I tried again. Once more, the polo slid right off.
I went to my own closet, and grabbed an “adult” sized hanger to put his polo on. It was a much better fit, with a little room to grow. I found myself getting teary-eyed at this unexpected milestone.
At what point did my sweet-faced toddler turn into a kid who wore clothes that fit on adult hangers?! Our son is growing more and more each day. His hands are big, his shoulders are broad, and I am certain I will someday be looking up at him instead of down. This unexpected milestone was yet another bittersweet reminder that the baby who once fit on my hip turned into a boy, who will one day turn into a teenager, before turning into a man.
The greatest mystery of my parenting journey is how to enjoy the current phase of life my children are in, while I simultaneously grieve the phases we’ve left behind. The old adage is all too true: the days are long, but the years are short.
