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Letter from a decade-old Mom

August 13, 2018

Dear A Jr,

I passed on few of my priced possessions from college, a stash of my vocabulary reference books, to you before I sat down to write this. You celebrated your tenth birthday last week and as your mom I personally feel a sense of fulfilment in the knowledge that you’re reading what I did and are following my footsteps in some way.

Seeing you stand in front of me, all tall and handsome, the mom in me has mixed feelings today. Seems like just yesterday I held your tiny hand and helped your wobbly feet take hold. For the world you’re a big boy of ten but your eyes still reflect the childhood innocence I am so much in love with! You’re still that Mamma’s boy at heart, aren’t you? 🙂

I’ve tried to raise you as a disciplined and well-behaved child and you’ve always made my job easy. You’ve understood that cutting slack with studies or choosing gadgets over sports makes me see red. I’ve realised that the foodie in you will make you agree to anything for some yummy homemade spread. You win some battles and I win some. Big picture: we’re both winners. Perfect, isn’t it? 😉 😛

I and Papa have always been very forthcoming with you. We’ve shared our childhood and life experiences with you without filtering them for perfection. We’re real and flawed parents who don’t want to burden you with any undue expectations. As long as you live an independent, happy and healthy life we’re happy with whatever path you choose for yourself.

That said, you’re an extremely intelligent boy with immense promise and potential. You’re exploring things you like and want to pursue in life. You’re methodical and logical but creativity is sadly not your best suit. I jokingly call you our personal Harsha Bhogle because you can comment and criticise but don’t play much. It doesn’t hurt to strain your leg muscles too for a change, you know. 😀

You’ve smartly taken the best of both your parents. You’re patient like your dad and meticulous like me. You’re good at math like him and pay attention to languages like me. Remember the indecipherable figures dad draws or how naïvely I talk about sports? Please be wise to decide who to seek help from and for what. Mind you, matching the wrong columns will cost you lot more than marks here! 😀 😀

Although I’m a mom of two now the special place that you have in my life remains unchanged. You were and are my handsome prince and I take pride in the fact that I was chosen to raise and mould you. You’re a loving big brother but, being a child yourself, quite impatient and stubborn with Angel at times. That, I’m sure, will change with time. You’re both precious for us together.

It isn’t just you who is growing up. I’m growing and learning new things with you every single day. This is a journey we’re taking together and I’m loving our camaraderie and companionship. I have a feeling soon you’ll be on the driver seat and lead the way. Nothing can make a mom more proud than stepping back and let her kid take charge, trust me.

May God bless you with all the love, luck and happiness in the world. Stay blessed and keep smiling always, my dear.

Love,

Mamma.

45 thoughts on “Letter from a decade-old Mom”

  1. I can seethe pride in you eyes and a wink as well Varsh. Such an honest, warm as well as fresh and peppy letter dear. I am sure A Jr will turn out to be an emotionally balanced, brilliant boy under your tutelage. God bless you all…

    1. Thanks a lot, Anagha. Like any other Mom I’m full of different emotions right now. I wish the best for him and want him to grow wings while a part of me wants to hold on to him a bit longer.
      With your lovely blessings I’m sure he’ll do something good with his life. 🙂

  2. Awwwwwww! What a cute, touching post. Has he seen it? 😀

    Here’s wishing he grows up to be all that he (and you both) wants to be…and make you both very proud parents! 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, dear. 🙂
      Yes, he read it and his reply was, “It is good”. That’s it. I don’t know what to make of it. All the mush I wrote it with went out the window! Lol!
      I hope he make himself and us proud too. Thanks, again!

  4. Hi Varsh,

    What a beautiful letter. Loved reading it. There is no substitute for a mother’s love. The relationship between a mother and her child is the best relationship God has made.

    Thank you for sharing this lovely post. Have a good day. 🙂

    1. Hi Sajid,

      A mother’s love is vast and inclusive and only grows with time. Her relationship with her child is beyond words and expression. I hope my words did some justice to what I’m feeling right now.

      Thanks for your kind words. Made my day. 🙂

  8. This is such a sweet letter. It’s amusing to read it right now because just this morning I was thinking of writing a letter for future for my daughter, who is just one year old right now. Loved reading your letter!

    1. Oh, please go ahead and write the letter. I’ve written many posts for my son in the beginning of this blog. In fact, it started mostly to document his childhood. It is fun to read them now.
      These letters are great memories for both you and your child.

  9. I loved reading this letter, Varsha. I love the way you balance parenting, with practicality and indulgence.
    Hope you would have made A read this beautiful letter.

    1. Thanks a lot, M. Parenting is tough and sometimes we have to let kids do what they like even if we don’t agree with it. A Jr read this letter and liked it.
      Hope he understands that I’m strict for a reason and will forgive me for it when he grows up.

  10. I so much loved this Varsha. I’m yet to reach this phase, but could so easily relate your feelings. I loved the fact that you have not burdened him up with any expectations. And yes, you both are winners:) . Its lovely

    1. Thanks a lot, Jhilmil. As kids grow our feelings too change for them over time. Sometimes they’re mushy and sometimes not too inclined to pamper a naughty child. Every phase is to be enjoyed though!
      Expectations work both ways. Imagine what I’ll do if he says his friend’s parents do so and so and we don’t? :-/

  11. Letter is so touch and cute. You raise your kid very well dear and he is and will be proud of you throughout the life.

  12. This was beautiful and so pure… I too want to tell everything about my mistakes, my life without filtering them, so that the children can take lessons… That’s a beautiful thing to do too…

    1. Yes, Mrinal. We cannot put ourselves on a pedestal and expect them think too high of us and burden them. We grow with our mistakes and its ok to share them and own them.

  18. O what an honest post. Loved the point that we share the real and flawed stories of our childhood to our kids as nobody is perfect Well written. Hope he really liked it.

  20. It’s heart felt and I can so relate to this letter. I too have created an email account for him where I regularly send such emails. I plan to hand over it to him once he turns 10 or bit older.

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