My eldest becomes a teenager this year.  I’m not entirely sure where the last few years have gone but I’m sure the last time I looked she was coming with me to Toddler Group on a Friday morning.  That makes her about 3, 4 at most.  Where does the time go?

When they were babies, I remember thinking “All very nice but hurry up so you’re at least walking!”  Wishing the time where they were nothing more than feeding, crying and nappy-filling machines.  Now?  Now I kinda wish they’d slow down a bit.

We’re already thinking about Highers (or whatever the hell the Scots are going to replace them with – our local council doesn’t seem to be in any rush to make up it’s mind), GCSEs when I was a lad, and subject choices for the eldest.  The next one down the line is nearing the end of Junior school and the youngest starts at Nursery after the summer break!  I’ll have 5 kids in education at that point, one teenager and the rest rapidly approaching that milestone.

I have enjoyed every moment, though maybe not the 2AM nappy changes.  I’m now starting to realise there’s stuff I’m going to miss when I no longer have a toddler in the house.

Who else will want to watch Octonauts?  Or the wonderfully sarcastic Peppa Pig?  I’m going to have to wait until I’ve got grandchildren before I get to read The Gruffalo, Little Rabbit Foo-Foo or The Fish That Could Wish out loud!

On the other hand, as the kids get older they’re discovering more cool stuff for us to watch – first it was “Sorry, I’ve Got No Head”.  Then “Pixelface.”  The latest discovery is a CBBC show called “Fit.”  These 3 are some of the finest sketch comedy on the BBC at the moment – get on the iPlayer and check them out.

Moral of this story?  Cherish every moment, whatever age your kids are.