Moments are fleeting.

Parenting moments are fleeting even faster. Maybe it’s because my wife and I adopted our son at 8 that I am so sensitive to this reality. But I have tried, not always successfully, to cherish as many parenting moments as I can. But try as do, the moments seem to be fleeting faster than I can grasp them.

Right now, my son is 12 years old and I have realized how few parenting moments I have left. Teenage attitude is starting to infiltrate my son. And I realize that my influence will quickly dwindle over these next few years.

And over the past month, I have tried to create space where these parenting moments can happen.

Today February 1, in Michigan restaurants are allowed to have people inside again. And my son and I started a new tradition of going out to breakfast before he goes to school and before I go to work. It’s so weird to think of it as a tradition after one time, but it will be a tradition for us.

Here’s the thing. I am not expecting these breakfasts’ to be something spectacular. Rather a way for my son and I to start our week with space to connect, with space to talk, with space for me to listen, with space for me to ever so slightly nudge him in the best direction.

This is all because the parenting moments are fleeting & I want to make sure they don’t completely disappear.

Because at the end of my life, I don’t want to regret missing out on these fleeting moments. I want to look back and know that I did everything I could to guide my son to be a great adult. So, what about you?

Are you taking advantage of the fleeting parenting moments?

What’s one small step you can take to increase the ever-fleeting parenting moments?

Because remember moments are fleeting.

And parenting moments are fleeting even faster.

Mike Van Drie

Director of Student Ministries at Providence Church