About a month ago, Little MrC decided that it was time for him to start sleeping in his own room. It’s funny how it happened, suddenly and completely out of the blue.
When we first moved here, I was sort of forcing the idea on him, telling him that if he didn’t use his room I’d turn it into my office. He resisted. He wanted to stay in our room. I understood. We all lived in the same room for 9 whole years. Why did moving houses have to change that, right?
At the time, I was thinking along the lines of finally having more space and some privacy. But I didn’t argue with what the kiddo wanted. Instead, I agreed to have his mattress set up on the floor next to my side of the bed. Every once in a while I’d ask if he was ready to move into his room, and he’d always say no.
Then one day, I found the boys cleaning up that room across the hall. A few days later, the mattress was off my floor, and on the bed frame where it really belonged. And just like that, I was left with one less roommate.
Since he decided to start sleeping on his own, Little MrC has spent less and less time in our room. He only comes there now to watch TV. He has his own airconditioner, so when days are too warm he asks my permission to use it.
He has a desk, which he uses when he wants to write or draw. His dad’s laptop is parked on that desk so he has something to use for research, and (occasionally) for games. He hangs out in his own space to read and play, and to do little boy things, whatever they may be. I’m not sure that I really want to know.
Little MrC loves his room. On the way home from school yesterday, he said he couldn’t wait to spend time in his favorite place on Earth. I told him that I was so happy to hear that. I never had a room of my own, so I’m super glad that this is something that his dad and I have been able to give him.
So much has changed for us since we moved houses. As the months go by, it’s becoming more glaringly obvious that my little boy is now a big boy. I’ve officially entered into the realm of tween parenting, and I’m completely terrified and a little bit sad. I don’t know what to expect. I’m afraid to make a mistake. And I miss having a baby around.
At the same time, it’s such a relief that I now have someone I can count on to open the gate for me when we drive home, so I no longer need to get out of the car and do it myself. I can count on him to lock the front door when we leave, and he can open it for me when we get back to the house. He pushes my grocery cart and checks items off of my list.
He does most things by himself now, including homework. His independence means more free time for me, and that MrC and I can now watch movies in our room at night. It also means that I live in fear that this kiddo will grow up too soon, and will someday stop needing me. Or at least think that he no longer needs me. Of course, I know that he’ll come running back eventually (right, mom and dad?) but still…
Ah motherhood, what a huge emotional rollercoaster you are! I never thought it would be this crazy. But it really is worth it, cliche as it may be.
So now, what do I do with all the extra space I now have in my room? Maybe a nice couch? A reading nook? What do you guys think?
And can someone please guide me through this tween parenting thing? Everything here is so new! And so emo! I need all the help I can get. And maybe an extra glass of wine.
This is so interesting to read. It’s so very different from how I was raised. Babies go I their own room at about three-six months. Sometimes as a child I would crawl into my moms room in the night but that’s about it. With each baby I leave them progressively longer in our room.
Cheers to motherhood and all the ups and downs. It really is so fulfilling.