Mornings with a new born:  The day starts early after a night of little or no sleep.  But you get to pick up this beautiful baby and hold it in your arms.  You touch their soft skin, you smell their sweetness, and you look, transfixed, into their perfect little features.  Your coffee or tea may grow cold, but you really don’t care.

Mornings with a young child:  The day starts with a little visitor jumping on your bed to cuddle alongside of you and give you wet kisses.  Their energy invigorates you.  Their smiles may all the work worthwhile.

Mornings with a school age child:  The day starts in a flurry!  You are making their breakfasts, waking them up, getting them dressed, making sure they have their homework, and running to a bus stop or driving them to school.  Only when they are finally in the care of the school system do you realize you are still in your pajamas and you haven’t had a chance to even brush your own teeth yet.

Mornings with a teenage child:  The day starts even earlier.  It’s not even light out yet and it seems like it’s the middle of the night.  They meet you at the breakfast table and you go through the list of things that they may have forgotten.  You make them their lunch or give them some lunch money.  Check your calendar to see what events they have today, where do they need to be driven, and you try to figure out how many places do you need to be in at the same time.

Mornings after children:  The day starts with quiet.  You have your breakfast in that quiet and enjoy a warm cup of coffee.  You look at your calendar to see what you have scheduled for the day.  Then on your way to your morning shower, you pass by their empty rooms, and tears spring up in your eyes.

http://www.theresadodaro.com   Author of The Tin Box Trilogy