13 Comments

My babies are 30 and 28, and watching them is still just as wonderful. Thanks for this lovely piece.

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I'm too distracted by the cute photos to read, sorry not sorry :)

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I think "Sometimes toddlers are described as little drunk people that slowly sober over the years" is a decent analogy for their physical coordination as they grow, but it does a disservice to every other aspect. I am constantly surprised by how thoughtful and profound the questions my 4 year old asks me or comments made by my 2 year old that show me how much more of the world she understands than I assumed.

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Thank you for this.

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Eye-opening piece as always. Thank you Simon

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Just beautiful. You help us slow down to notice the wonder of childhood and privilege of parenting . Thanks Simon.

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It only takes one child to know what it’s like to have a child. My daughter (9) has fundamentally altered nearly every perspective I had for 46 years before she was born. Terror and joy, terror and joy. I have been thoroughly broken open to my amazement.

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Wonderful

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Beautiful, Simon! As we prepare ourselves for the birth of our first child (due in August) it's a breath of fresh air to read your thoughts on parenthood and raising kids. May we continue on learning to see with the little ones.

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Beautiful, heart warming piece.

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Show don’t tell, Simon. So many vacuum-packed words and ideas. Reading your essay left me panting for air! Flaubert didn’t prattle on endlessly about Emma’s bad character. He showed her frozen with a spoonful of maraschino sorbet between her teeth. Or shoving her toddler into a chest of drawers. The Renaissance Man pose is tiresome. Coding and building a house isn’t writing. Are you smart enough to realize this fact? A place of humility is where to start.

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