My youngest son is 15, almost 16 and now I can't remember the last time he held my hand. I see parents with young kids strolling along, often in a rush, but connected and communicating with each other. It's a magic moment and I don't think they even realise that. Do you remember the final time you held hands to cross the street before your child pulled their hand away?

Yep, it's always the child entering a new phase of awareness and how they're perceived. For some reason they have an awakening that holding hands isn't what you do if you want to be older and mature. I don't think they actually are even aware of this, it's probably subconscious first, then they consciously don't reach out for your hand like they used to.

You get used to a phase, it might be eating time gets easy and not such a battle, then something else, like a domino, changes too. Things can never stay the same and you know this, but a little part of you wants to bottle those precious moments when they needed you and you were their protector. I love the independence that my kids have now and wouldn't change it, but those moments were special and now they're gone.

That small sweaty hand holding on to yours as tight as can be. Connected as one. And then, poof... they're off on their bike, with their friends waving back at you without looking back. Then they stop waving. Hopefully they still say 'bye, love you...' which is our ritual... let's hope this always sticks. x