This past week my son walked up to me with a handful of change and asked me if he could take me out on a date. Friends, can I just say my heart melted right there in the hallway. He looked up at me with his deep brown eyes and was so sincere. Of course I said yes and the planning started immediately. When I asked him where he wanted to take me he said
“Well to pizza and ice cream of course! The best date ever!” I agree little man.. That is the best date ever. But really anything with him would have sufficed.
To be honest, I have felt pretty disconnected from him lately, which is a feeling I am not used to. He has always been a Momma’s boy. He is almost 7 years old but until recently, he has never been too busy for me. He has always wanted to sit next to me at dinner, go with me to do errands, have me help him with his homework or come into the classroom to volunteer and he was never too big to cuddle. But all of a sudden the last few months things just sort of stopped. He wasn’t as cuddly as he once was. He would rather play Legos with daddy or friends then to go do something with me. He didn’t seem to care who he sat next to. Truthfully, I was feeling kind of lost. I missed him something fierce. My heart literally ached when he would walk right by me without a quick hug or smile. I was even starting to give myself pep talks “Okay.. He’s getting older now. It’s only natural for him to want more time with daddy and less time with you. It’s not like he was going to cuddle with you forever! You knew this!” But no matter how many times I tried to convince myself I was okay with that, I was not, not even a little bit. My baby wasn’t a tiny baby anymore and that was slowly breaking my heart. Momma’s I think we can all agree on how hard that realization is right?
So when he came up to me with his fist full of change, asking me out on a date.. Well, let’s just say it took everything in me not to jump up and down and cry happy tears (I think he would have had second thoughts about taking me in public if I had turned into a blubbering mess), so I held it together like a champ and instead just hugged him tight and told him I would love to. Because it turns out, he’s been missing me too.
I have always taken my sons out on dates, ever since they were toddlers, but this time, he asked me. No prompting, no hinting, and no asking. And can I just say… What a wonderful feeling! Maybe this growing up thing isn’t all that bad after all?! We went out on our date and just laughed. Man is this kid funny, funnier than I realized. He is really developing his own personality, but in a more grown up sort of way. And boy does he ever have a sweet tooth! I am pretty sure he got 77 toppings on his frozen yogurt. But he was all smiles and in that moment, that’s all I cared about. The yogurt shop was holding a contest of “why you think this place is the best place ever” and he decided he wanted to enter the contest. He got a crayon, a piece of paper and then proceeded to write “I think this is the best place ever because I get to come here on dates with my mommy. Just me and her”. Again, holding back tears I just hugged him tight, and thanked him for an awesome date.
As we started to end our date I asked him what he thought he should do when he takes someone other than mommy out on a date some day.. And his eyes got big and said “Like a girlfriend?!” And after I said yes, he then replied slightly blushing “Buy her ice cream?” To wish I confirmed that yes an ice cream date would make a wonderful first date.. But I then felt it was important not only to tell him how he should treat his date (open doors, pay for the first date, be polite, be kind), all the typical things us parents try to teach our sons. But I wanted him to know that he was worth equally good treatment. I wanted him to understand how excited I was to be there with him that day, so that he would know how it felt to be on a date with someone who truly wants to be there with him and loves how funny and sweet he is. I know not every date he goes on some day will feel like that. It’s inevitable that he will one day find himself on a date with someone who doesn’t appreciate it or maybe who doesn’t like him the way he likes her.. And that’s okay. That’s part of life, and it’s good for him to experience that to an extent. It builds character. But I also want him to recognize when he is on that one special date where he realizes this girl loves him. This girl genuinely wants to be there and is so appreciative of the date he put together, and I can only hope he will feel the same way about her. Because as we learn throughout our later years in life, that is so hard to find. And when you do find that true connection, it’s so important to hang on to.
But for now…I will savor the fact that I don’t have to share my little man with any other girl, and that for now I am his one and only date. ❤️
So sweet! And I love that you are already teaching him how to treat a girl, and that he deserves to be treated kindly in return. You are a great Mom Nicole, and your children and husband are blessed to have you as their Mom/Wife.
God bless!
This is very sweet! I take both of my boys out on dates too! Sometimes we dress “fancy” and go to dinner and a movie.
That’s so sweet! We should all be taking the opportunity to teach our kids right – polite and nice!
I don’t have a son but I can imagine how you might have felt when he told you he wanted to take you out on a date. How precious. It definitely tugs at the heartstrings as they grow and change, so rapidly. 🙁
I love this but when it is my turn? ; )
Oh, I love this story! It reminds me of how sweet my son was when he was small. He’s grown into a nice young man, but all the same, if he asks me out for ice cream, I’m usually the one who pays, hahaha.
It’s so hard to watch them grow, but the memories you’re making are priceless. What a great lesson you are teaching him now.
This is the sweetest post ever. My 4-year-old recently asked to snuggle instead of nuggle and that was certainly irresistible!
My boy is 5 and adores me…trying to enjoy it now and soak it all in. I know it won’t be like this for long
This is so cute! I love to have one on one time with my kids.
Very sweet post-Nicole! And, your son is a cutie. My son and I go everywhere together by ourselves all the time. But, sometimes I’ll make him dress up and tell him we are having a special Mommy & Son date night or day. Thanks for sharing.