We're raising individuals, and it's breaking my heart a bit.

This is a small, silly post.Our oldest was a preemie. Tiny thing at birth. I remember standing at his incubator in the NICU until 3 AM a nurse forcefully put me in a chair and ensured me he would be okay, yet every beep from the equipment wired to him startled me like bombs going off. Well home, his gross motor was terrible and we had to dote him along every crawl, then every step. constantly hovering. We became helicopter parents.Now the days of preemies are gone, and routine set in. Wake up, be screamed at, be giggled at, eat breakfast, reject breakfast. Rush to daycare, drop off big guy; drop off little brother, be dragged in by baby cries. Heart ache. Go to work. Screens, words, numbers, clock ticking. Miss them. Mom picking up, meet at home, cook dinner, tired toddlers screaming, off to bath, off to bed. Relax. Start over.Today felt different.The usual morning routine. Get to daycare. He walks towards the playground where drop-off is. "Daddy loves you! Going to work now!". He doesn't even look back. Suddenly little Caya comes running up to our guy. He stops and points at a plane going by. She looks and they share the moment. She takes his hand and drags him to the sandbox, gestures to sit down. He sits. Smiles at her. She sits clumsily and laughs. He gives her a bucket. She smiles.I felt SO far away from him at that moment. I just wanted to run and squeeze him and never let go. I know i'm raising an individual, but damn why does it hurt so bad?Staff smiling, looking at me wiping my tears.off to work again. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2TbuXWn