Son Holds Mom's Hand—Makes Comment She May Never 'Emotionally Recover' From

Newsweek

11 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A mom was left "speechless" by her 3-year-old son's simple yet significant observation while walking hand in hand.
Michelle is a mom of three and school psychologist by trade, based in Orlando, Florida. More recently, she has taken a step back from her career to raise her kids, while continuing to work part-time as a travel agent.
It is a decision that has brought her closer to her kids, including her son and middle child Chase, aged 4. "He's our sweet, insightful wild child, with boundless energy and a heart just as big," Michelle told Newsweek.
It is also a decision that has afforded Michelle moments like the one that unfolded while heading home from a preview event for Universal's Epic Universe.
"It had been a long, exhausting day, and we were slowly making our way back to the car," Michelle said. "Chase was holding my hand when he suddenly said, 'Mom, your hand is getting smaller.'"
The remark prompted a moment of realization on Michelle's behalf: her son is already growing up fast. "It completely took the wind out of me," she said. "I was speechless. I choked out, 'Oh, Buddy, your hands are getting bigger.' He moved on as if nothing happened, totally unaware that he had just shattered my heart."
Most parents would probably say it feels like their kids are growing up too quickly. A 2024 survey of 2,000 U.S. parents with children under the age of 18 revealed that 78 percent felt their kids were growing up too fast.
Yet, until that moment, Michelle hadn't considered how things might change as Chase and her other two children got older. "I hadn't really thought much before that about the day he might not want to hold my hand," she said. "I've been deep in the trenches of motherhood. In the thick of it, you don't often think about the ending. You just move from one day to the next."
In the span of just one sentence, Chase had prompted his mom to pause and think about how quickly time was moving along. "Somehow, he went from barely wrapping his tiny hand around my pinkie to holding my whole hand—and I don't even know when that happened," Michelle said.
The feeling that realization left her with was profound, and one she felt compelled to share on social media, posting a video of herself on her Instagram, @travelwithmichellem, revealing how her son had made a comment she might never "emotionally recover" from.
"I had absolutely no idea it would resonate with so many people," Michelle said. She hoped it might encourage others to seize the day and book those special vacations "because there will be a time when their children won't want to hold hands."
"I think people connected with it because it's a different way of expressing how fast childhood goes," Michelle said. "We hear 'the days are long, but the years are short,' but this wasn't a quote or a cliché. It was an innocent thought from my 3-year-old that said it all. It felt both ordinary and profound."
It was a moment Michelle will always remember; one that woke her up to the reality of her life and all the joy and significance of every single day. "You don't always realize you're living the 'good old days' until a tiny voice reminds you," she said.