Your Kids Do Amazing Things but You Don’t Have to Document Them All

Every moment with your child is special; try to be present.

I sometimes wonder, if, in the frantic need to capture every sweet moment and document everything we adore about our children, we’re not missing out on the moment itself.

I am a people watcher. I like to pay attention wherever I am. When I see children with their parents, I’ve noticed that the parent usually has a smartphone trained on their child, snapping and filming every activity from riding a tricycle to egg hunting.

Children splashing in the creek and discovering things like crawdads and shiny stones. A child climbing a fallen tree or picking a dandelion bouquet.

Simple things or special moments. Immerse yourself in them.

I took a lot of pictures when my children were growing up too and I am glad I did, but those were usually planned moments like a trip to the zoo, a first birthday party, or vacations. We didn’t have camera phones then so when something cute was happening chances were we didn’t have a camera hanging around our necks to document it.

And that’s probably a good thing in the long run. When you are behind the camera you’re not in the moment. It’s less likely that the memory will become ingrained in your mind. There is research to support this.

Some moments must be captured in our hearts and memories

I learned this when whale watching off the coast of Maine. We had been waiting for a long time on a cold, wet day to see whales. Just as the captain was about to turn around something amazing happened. A large pod of Humpback whales began circling our boat. There were calves too.

They were swimming all around and under us so the captain had to turn off the engines. Suddenly we didn’t feel the rain or the cold, we were so enthralled with this experience. Over and over the captain and crew kept saying how unique this experience was and how this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I wanted so desperately to capture this moment that I kept trying to find the timing when a whale would breach but my old camera phone of that time period was not fast enough to snap a great photo. Finally, I put my phone away and just watched in awe. I allowed myself to be in the moment. I don’t have a single photo of those whales but it’s a day my son and I will never forget.

You’ll remember. I promise.

Somehow your heart and brain will remember. You might not remember the color of your daughter’s hair ribbon or the exact age she was, but you’ll remember the essence of the moment when you watched the sunset over the ocean.

So go ahead and snap memorable photos of those beautiful toddler smiles and make videos of that baby voice so you can hear “ober dare” before it becomes “over there” and “momma” before it changes to “mom” or “mother” but please resist the urge to capture it all.

Be in the moment. Stay in the moment. Enjoy the moment.

Be present. Pay attention. Avoid distractions.

They grow up so fast. Talk about it later. Let it be a memory.

Wherever you are, be fully present in that moment.

I’ve learned a thing or two about being present and the high cost of not being present. Now my constant prayer is that wherever I am I will be fully present in each moment. For more on practicing presence and slowing down join me at Pick More Daisies.