The Unexpected Magic of Parenthood

The other day, in a group chat with my in-laws, my father-in-law said something that stuck with me. "You regain your childhood with your kids," he wrote — just a passing comment, but it landed hard in my chest.

I remembered, suddenly, what that felt like: building forts from every spare blanket in the house, the thrill of a scraped knee from a backyard adventure, the magic of making the perfect mud pie. That wild, unfiltered joy. It all felt so far away — and yet, not really gone.

Fast forward to now: a few more laugh lines, a lot more laundry, and somehow, a quiet kind of magic finding its way back in. Building Lego castles with my son lights up that old creative spark I thought I'd tucked away. Watching my daughter spin in a sparkly dress and plastic crown feels like stepping straight back into my own world of make-believe.

But it’s more than just reliving good memories. It's healing the ones that never got made. Maybe you, like me, didn’t always get the sandcastles or bedtime stories. Maybe there were empty spaces that ached a little. Parenting gives you a quiet chance to fill them in — not just for your child, but for yourself, too.

You build the castle now. You read the stories now. You jump in puddles and chase butterflies, and somehow, that lost part of you begins to soften and breathe again.

Of course, there are meltdowns. Messy days. The elusive dream of a "perfect" bedtime that never quite lands. But tucked inside the chaos is this beautiful, unexpected gift: the chance to see the world fresh again. To laugh harder. To find wonder in the simplest, muddiest moments.

Becoming a parent didn’t just change my life — it gave me a way back to the playful, curious heart I thought I’d left behind. And honestly? That’s a kind of magic I never expected, but will always be grateful for.