When he was born, he needed me for comfort, warmth, and food. He needed to me to rock him when he cried, and sing until he fell asleep. He needed me to keep him dry and clean. He needed me to be his advocate and his safety net.
As he grows he needs me less.
But as a toddler, he still needs me for comfort and food. He needs me to tuck him in at night, and tuck in his stuffed animals too. He needs me to kiss his forehead when he falls, and clean his scraped knees. He needs me to be his advocate when he is sick, and his safety net when he feels scared.
As he grows he needs me less.
But as a kid, he still needs me for comfort, and a laugh when he was sad.
He needs me to teach him how to bake cookies, and how to tie his shoes. He needs me to remind him to brush his teeth and use shampoo. He needs me to cheer on the sidelines at soccer games, and be silent as he learns from his mistakes. He still needs me to be his advocate at school, and his safety net when friends hurt his feelings.
As he grows he needs me less.
But as a teenager, he will still need me for comfort, and to lighten the mood when things get heavy.
He will need me to mend a broken heart, and teach him how to drive. He will need me to show him how to shave his face, and remind him to use shampoo. He will still need me as his advocate during the awkward stage, and his safety net to prove unconditional love is real.
As he grows he needs me less.
As an adult, he will still need me for comfort when he worries.
He will need me to listen as he falls in love, and to remind him to be careful with their heart. He will need me to cheer on his dreams and watch him reach his goals. He will still need me as his advocate, and his safety net. He will need me to always welcome him home. He will still need to know I will be in his corner always.
Because once a mom, always a mom. They may grow, but they never grow out of the need for their us.
This post originally appeared on Raising Humble Humans