Dropped my son off at the station this morning to get the train to Plymouth. He’s competing in this weekends British Diving championships, competing against Tom Daley on Sunday. He’s not at Tom’s level and he won’t be the youngest competing but I had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye thinking about it all and how proud we are. That’s all really but it doesn’t seem that long since the midwife passed him to me for the first skin to skin contact and I popped him inside my fleece. I’m just about looking up to him now in more ways than one.

Yes, my biggest regret is that GtiJunior is now too big to cuddle and I missed out on the best years by travelling too much and spending too much time fiddling with Land Rovers and bicycles. His bond with Mrs Gti is definitely stronger. At the start of his third year attachment we drove him down to that London and left him at his new digs and driving away was one of the worst moments we’ve experienced as parents, despite him having already been away at Uni for two years!

Mine’s gone from every teacher’s favourite smart kid, to a surly teenager as big as me, in no time at all! College parents’ evening, one of the teachers was shaking when telling me what a shit he’d been!
Put it down to teenage angst. But yeah, it goes too fast.

Mine grew v fast. One intellectually and the other physically. They really highlight aspects of your own personality which isn’t always a good thing. They are 35 and 33. Very different kids and has not always been easy watching them grow. But proud of both. The girl will be able to afford the care home I want and the boy (6’2″ of muscle) still hugs and kisses me in public.

My Son turned 15 on tuesday (where’s that gone?), I’m on holiday with him and a friend of his in Tauranga we’re house sitting. Even in front of his mate he can be a a right gobshite to me (no shame). Angelic til he was about 11. Glorious weather btw and I’m just back from going up the Mount in under 14mins.

My daughter is 18 today. Looking back through some baby/holiday snaps last night. Seems not long ago she could be picked up and cuddled and she wanted to hold my hand everywhere she went. Now I’m just the taxi service.

I was told when mine were toddlers to enjoy it as it goes so quick….but not sure I was ready for the feeling that the passing of time is accelerating quite as much as it is now – Boys of 12 and 14

Older one just breezed past me at 6ft with size 12 feet and it’s still another couple of months before he’s 15. Great lad – gentle giant really (I’m biased) doing solidly at school so far.

Younger one, skinny as a whippet, wicked smart and funny but knows it and so risks getting up people’s noses (edit:mine quite often!)if he doesn’t learn some more awareness. Which I’m sure he will.

Both into sports, both driving their mom slightly mad on a daily basis, both costing a fortune in food, both loved to bits.

When it goes from

to

and reminiscing about all the fun times we have had always puts a bit of dust in my eye.

The other problem is that as you age, each years seems a little shorter. A friend tells me this is because as you age each year is a little shorter in proprtion to the time you’ve been alive, whereas for kids a year is a long time.

I try to hold my 4yo daughter’s hand whenever I remember to. Won’t be long before she will just refuse.

Our son will be off to college in the Borders in August….dreading it yet also really happy for him to be off to do what he wants, be independent, and thrive!

Loving the Tracey photo, very much

Always feel that if they would listen we could all progress much faster but making your own mistakes is part of the fun – and the pain.

My 12 year old lad had just been put in the adult group for kumite at karate. So he is now my sparring partner.

Also, we have the same size feet.

Wish I could keep mine as they are now (two and five). It goes too fast and I miss so much of it.

I’m still surprised that my youngest sister knows her times tables.

She’s in CID.

Similarly, when she turned 21, my mum said she didn’t feel old enough to have a 21 year old child. I’m 10 years older…

My lad’s now 19, and madly into cars and exceeded my annual mileage in about 4 months of getting his car – fortunately, mostly ‘pleasure’ not work.

Eldest will start to learn to drive when he turns 17 this summer. HowTF did that happen?

Last year he had 3 weeks away in America at the World Scout Jamboree. That didn’t bother me, he is usually away from home 30-50 nights a year through Scouting and music residentials, it was just another bus trip with his mates when he left.

But last October he went down by train to a Royal Marine Band Service taster week. Bloody hell, that one shook me up, that he was potentially considering the forces in 18 months time. My little (6 foot) boy!

@Tracey

I think that top pic might be the best photo I’ve ever seen.

This was bought when he was six months old and rode on the back of the kiddyback. Delivered to ReCycle Uxbridge

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A post shared by Daren James Austin (@daren.j.austin) on Jan 23, 2020 at 11:04am PST

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My eldest daughter can borrow my wife’s shoes. She’s ten (daughter, not wife, before the smartarses chip in).

They grow up fast and still surprise me! My eldest 23, a computer scientist now working in London. Weird recognising her on the main news being interviewed chained to the underside of a trailer in Trafalgar Square last Summer protesting with ER. So very proud she’s prepared to be arrested fighting for the future of our planet.

My oldest effectively left home at 13, now accompanying her around the country as she auditions for Dance upper schools. The thought of her living in London at 16 isnt filling me with warm fuzzy feelings.

Been looking at photos of my sons – elder when he was 4; now 33 and has a son of 7months.
Younger when he was 5 hours; now 31, lives in US, has residency with citizenship to follow, has son of 21 months.
Where did the time go?
Too much time working away – which I regret.

Whilst the childseat has gone, Thunderbird 2, the squeaky horn on the stoker bars, sits next to my Sonos 1 in my garage when I’m on Zwift. There was a time before Cargo bikes were a thing 😉 . I don’t regret a minute cycling with them.

I try to hold my 4yo daughter’s hand whenever I remember to. Won’t be long before she will just refuse.

Maybe not. My permanently embarrassed by parents14.5 year old daughter – still when no one is about likes to hold her mums and my hands and loves a hug.  My sons 12.5 years old, still like an arm around the shoulder as they sit on the sofa or a hug.

My 11 year old daughter will happily hold my hand when we are out.