Learning to crawl, learning to walk. Climbing hills and mountains. Finally able to stand tall and see clearly.

When we are young, we think we know everything. Mom and Dad couldn’t possibly understand you. They haven’t been through this before. Little do we know we are about to fall. When we do, we get back up and brush ourselves off. We learn from our mistakes. The next time, we get it right….we get better with time.

That sport we play, the endless practices and drills. All the times we strike out but we keep playing the game, keep trying to get our pitch, get our shot, so we feel that thrill. We want to give up but Mom and Dad say keep trying. You will get it and then one day it just clicks. We finally have it all figured out. No more fear or self doubt. Our talent starts to show and the hard work pays off. Season after season, game after game. We give it all we’ve got. We get better with time.

That first crush. That first love. We do it all wrong. But we try anyway. We end up broken hearted. We don’t want to try anymore. Then someone comes along that picks us back up. We think, this is it. Little do we know we are about to fall once more, we will be broken hearted again. This love teaches us the hard lessons. Lessons that make you think you are going to break. Lessons that define you. Lessons that teach you what you really want and need. You feel like this hurt will never go away. But Mom and Dad say it will. It’s going to get better. Finally after all the heart ache and searching you find yourself, and then “the one” suddenly appears in your life when you least expect it. Sometimes it’s someone new, sometimes it’s someone you already knew. Nonetheless, the past is forgotten. You now know why the others didn’t work out. It was because of this person. The one meant to be your forever love. The one you spend your life with. Things always happen the way they are supposed to. Looking back we realize, Mom and Dad are right, we get better with time.

Scared and shaky. Wonderful and amazing. Not knowing if you’re going to get this right. Looking at your newborn child. Life falls into place. You never knew this kind of love existed. Your heart almost hurts with joy. It feels like it may burst! As your baby grows, you will make mistakes. You won’t have all the answers. But that’s ok. That’s how we grow. Mom and Dad say don’t worry, you will get it right. You will be exactly who and what your child needs. By the time the second or third gets here, you won’t be scared. You will be confident. It will come naturally. You will still mess up. And that is ok because you are giving it your all. You are still what they want and need. Always. YOU are their safe place and their home. They turn to you. They will grow up to be wonderful little humans because of you. Because we get better with time.

As your children go through what you have, from learning new things to boo boos, wins and losses, broken hearts and happiness, and all that comes in between, you will know exactly what they are feeling. You’ve been there. And when they come to you for advice, you can tell them, just as your parents told you, I promise, it will get better. We all get better with time.