The Most Important People - Family Photography Kitchener-Waterloo

“Come on, how about we get a picture with Mom and Dad in it?” I asked, standing on top of the playground climber with the two brothers.

“Yes!” shouted the older brother.

“Yeah, come on!” cheered the younger brother.

“Mom, Dad, come and take a picture with us,” called the older brother.

“A picture with us? Why?” joked the parents.

“Because,” replied the older brother, “you’re the most important people in our lives.”

When they’re tiny, they need you every minute. They hold tightly to you, and call for you when you’re only a room away. They cling to you, and sometimes it feels as though they’re attached to you every minute. Then they grow, bit by bit. They branch out, reaching further, gradually becoming comfortable with exploring a greater distance away from you.

As they grow and change, the ways they let you know how important you are change too. Asking to be picked up and carried gives way to “watch this!” and any number of physical feats.

Pulling your hair becomes trying anything they can think of to make you laugh.

Often, it takes realizing what has fallen away from a stage that’s ended to be able to appreciate the little things about the stage they’re in now. Because even as each stage brings new frustrations and challenges, each stage also brings so many little things to appreciate and treasure.

They develop new mannerisms and habits. They face new challenges.

They communicate in more complex ways, about more sophisticated ideas.

They learn new skills, become more independent, change, and grow.

And, maybe most wonderfully of all, from time to time they tell you, “You’re the most important people in our lives.”

How are your kids showing you how important you are to them these days? Head over to Facebook and let me know!