If there’s one thing I’m learning as a mom, it’s that time with our kids slips through our fingers faster than we want it to. One moment they’re asking for bedtime stories and cuddles, and the next they’re growing into these independent little people who would rather hang out with their friends than sit on the couch with us. I know there will come a day when Mai Boys are “too cool” for bedtime cuddles, so I’m making it a point now to treasure these moments while I still can.
That’s why our cuddle nights have become such an important part of my week. Mondays are for Greyson, Tuesdays I cuddle with Colston, and Thursdays are with Preston (Wednesdays belong to Daddy, and he guards his cuddle time too). Each night, after the busyness of school, practices, chores, and life in general, we carve out that little sacred pocket of time where it’s just me and one of Mai Boys.
We usually start by watching a show or a movie together, something easy that helps us both unwind. But the part I love most is what happens right before bedtime. We turn off the screens, settle in, and just talk. Sometimes it’s about what happened at school that day, sometimes it’s about basketball, sometimes it’s something deeper that’s been on their mind. It doesn’t really matter what we talk about, the point is that for that hour, they know they have my full attention. They know that whatever’s on their hearts matters to me.
And that’s the beauty of this routine. Life is busy. The hustle and bustle swallows up so much of our energy, and it’s easy for kids to feel like they’re just swept along in the current of practices, homework, and errands. But in these little windows of time, they don’t have to compete with the noise of life. They get me- Mommy, listening, laughing, and sometimes even crying with them.
I can already feel how much it means to them. They don’t always have the words for it, but the way they curl up next to me, or the way their voices get softer when they’re sharing something important, tells me everything I need to know. This is our safe space. And I know these nights are shaping them as much as they’re shaping me.
Because one day, those late-night talks and cuddle times might look different. They may not always want to pile onto the couch or lay next to me. But I hope what lasts is the knowledge that their thoughts matter, that their feelings matter, and that no matter how loud life gets, I’ll always make time and create a safe space to listen.
So for now, I’ll treasure these Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. I’ll soak up every cuddle, every conversation, every silly laugh and serious talk. Because this time is precious, and before I know it, they’ll be too grown to ask for it.
And maybe, just maybe, when they’re older, they’ll remember that no matter how busy life became, their mom always made time to be still with them.
Mai Household Mayhem 