Life must be easier now that your kids are older

If I had a dollar for every time someone said, “Life must be easier now that your kids are older!”—I’d probably be sipping a fancy coffee in Paris, not chugging a lukewarm one while managing a hundred things at once.

Free time? Peace? Oh! Parenting a tween and a teen feels like an endless marathon where the track constantly shifts—one moment it’s a smooth path, and the next, you’re scaling a mountain with a backpack stuffed with their drama.

Birthday, a Coffee Shop, and the Parenting Myth

Take today, for example. My son just finished his finals, and it was time for his birthday celebration. Of course, he wanted to celebrate his way – a pizza party and a movie with friends. No complaints there; it’s part of growing up.

With my son celebrating his birthday independently, it seemed like it should have been a relaxed day for me, right? Wrong.

While my son and his friends enjoyed their pizza party, I was there making sure everything went smoothly. Once they headed off for their movie, my tween daughter and I set out on our mission—shopping.

And let me tell you, if you think keeping a toddler entertained is tough, try keeping up with a pre-teen who suddenly has very strong opinions on fashion, accessories, and whether you should also embrace the latest trends.

After hopping from one store to another (with plenty of “Mom, just five more minutes” please), I finally spotted a cosy coffee shop—my chance to sneak in some work while my daughter scrolled through the coffee shop menu, lost in her world.

And yes, I forgot to mention, I had worn the most uncomfortable footwear for all this walking. With malls these days being practically the size of small cities, let’s just say my feet weren’t too happy with my choices.

Have you ever regretted your footwear decisions on a shopping spree?

I ordered my food—a plate of grilled sandwiches, some healthy-looking cucumbers and tomatoes (because of balance, right?), and a much-needed coffee. I set up my laptop, feeling that rare excitement of uninterrupted work time.

And then…

Reality vs. Expectations: The Parent Edition

Expectation: My daughter would be busy with her sandwich, muffins or menu card, my son would have fun, and I could peacefully work on my blog.

Reality: – “Mom, look at this!” Tween excitement overload.

– “Mom, should we buy this?” Shopping dilemmas continue…

– “Mom, are you done yet? Can we go now?” Patience, where art thou?

The peace lasted approximately 30 minutes before I had to check on my son, reassure my daughter that we don’t need another pair of shoes, and attempt to put together a sensible sentence for my blog post.

Oh, and let’s not forget the occasional mom guilt whispering in the background: Should I be spending this time differently? Am I missing a precious memory with my son? Should I be paying more attention to my daughter instead of typing away?

Parenting at Every Stage: A Different Kind of Challenge

People often assume that once kids grow out of the toddler phase, life magically becomes easier. That’s like saying once you finish climbing one hill, the rest of the journey is all downhill—when in reality, it’s a series of new hills, each with its own set of twists and turns.

When they’re babies, they need you for everything—feeding, diaper changes, sleepless nights.

When they’re toddlers, it’s about chasing them everywhere and handling tantrums.

When they’re tweens, it’s the never-ending questions and the struggle to balance their growing independence with your need to still guide them.

That’s why having meaningful conversations becomes so important. Here are some thoughtful questions to ask kids to know them better—because even when they pull away, they still want to be heard.

And when they’re teens? Well, they want to be left alone, but also need you available exactly when they decide they do.

There’s no ‘easy’ phase in parenting—just different phases that come with their lessons and joys.

A Moment for Myself… Sort Of

Despite the interruptions, despite the constant mental juggling, I still managed to steal a few minutes for myself. Between checking on my son’s party and keeping my daughter entertained, I finished my blog post. Maybe it wasn’t written in one peaceful sitting with classical music playing in the background, but it got done.

And that’s the thing about parenting—it teaches you to adapt. You learn to work in stolen moments, to find joy in small wins, and to balance being present with getting things done.

So, the next time someone says, “Oh, you have grown-up kids? Must be easy now!”—I’ll just smile and sip my coffee. Because here’s the truth: Parenting is never easy, but it’s always worth it.

So tell me—what’s one unexpected challenge you’ve faced as your kids have grown up? Let’s share and laugh about this parenting journey together.

This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

P.S: The image used solely belongs to Messymom, so please avoid resharing.