In that moment when you wish
That you had let your children sleep
In the bed with you
Against the doctors' advisements,
And that you had stayed in bed all day with them
And eaten peanut butter
And played go fish
Until they were forty-two,
Then a part of you realizes
That they would have missed some things
By means of your coddling,
But they will miss more
Swaddled in the grave.

And yet, another part of you may be secretly thankful and jealous
That they will miss certain heartbreaks.
They've overcome their biggest one,
And I have yet to.

-jenn