My Personal Shoppers

We lived in Glasgow when our three older kids were young. They are fairly close to each other in age, and one of the least favourite parts of my week was the weekly shopping. Shopping for our groceries with three kids, all aged four or under, was not the most pleasant of tasks!

All you mums of young kids  know what I'm saying, I reckon.

But earlier this week...

... this happened.

And today, Catherine and Katie are heading off to town to do The Shopping. It honestly seems like it's only a couple of years since I was pushing that massive trolley around with three kids in it as well as the food.

And now, they are doing the shopping for me.

'Blink and you miss it' comes to mind, when I think of our kids' childhoods. I know things can be tough going at times when the kids are young. When I was at that stage with the wee ones, the Builder was never really around until late evenings, and he even worked every Saturday morning, so I had to do the shopping with the kids and without him - otherwise, his only few hours off, on a Saturday afternoon, were spent in ASDA! 

So today, I say to young mums everywhere: be encouraged. I urge you to try and get as much enjoyment out of the kids as you can when they are young. And on really tough days, remember this: It will be over in a flash.

And when these more tiring days pass, you have the pleasure of kids with whom you can have wonderful conversations, and with whom you can laugh. A lot.

Conversation and laughter are two of the most wonderful gifts you can have with your older children. But they probably come when you've had plenty of both with your younger children.