There’s been a subtle shift in our home since Mathäus left for school— our family has become somewhat more centered on the younger inhabitants.
We didn’t mean for it to happen. And truly, there’s still so much going on “at the top” that I don’t think we could ever be accused of being over focused on the folks 11 and under.
But here it is: the vast majority of people living here are in elementary school. So by necessity, that’s who life is deigned for quite often. They are also the people most likely to actually be here at any given time; Mary Hannah is either taking classes or teaching them for the greater part of every day, and Jack is caught up in solo school work, or running, or Civil Air Patrol. It’s these guys, the smaller ones, who are reliably gathered around the dinner table, or lining up for library trips.
It’s not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, I have to admit that I’m enjoying it. John Mark suddenly feels much more mature and capable… if only because really, he’s one of the more dependable helpers in the house. At the other end of the spectrum, Jude is so far past any semblance of babyhood that I realize how stair-stepped these five folks actually are.
I guess it’s a sign of things to come. In two years, Jack will be the one newly finding his footing in the world of college. Even if Mary Hannah’s still home, my days will revolve around children whose developmental ages have them sitting at 12, 10, 7, and 5. Who knows where Phin might land by then? Regardless, it will be a much younger house. One sitting, again, on the precipice of the teen years, but not quite there.
Parenting is one long shift, sand always moving under your feet. This is just one of those times when the changes feel seismic, even though they are small.