My son has reached his fifth birthday, and it may seem absurd to say that he has grown up so quickly. It’s hard to believe that my little boy is already becoming a man of the world. However, I can’t deny the evidence – my calendar confirms his age, and he’s already 4ft tall and finishing his first year of primary school. So yes, five years old seems accurate. But when fellow parents at his small birthday celebration ask where the time has gone, I don’t express these thoughts. Instead, I casually respond with a remark like, “Wow, can you believe it?” even though I can indeed believe it.
There’s a slight sense of shame in admitting that it feels like I’ve only recently gotten to know my own son. Maybe the Covid lockdowns have complicated the passage of time, extending his toddler years to an almost unbearable length. Yet, this phenomenon is not unique to me but shared by every parent I know. They all express bafflement at how fast time flies. I imagine them leaving the birthday gathering in a state of wordless despair, retreating to their homes to analyze calendars and crunch numbers, desperately trying to understand the speed at which the world spins.
Or perhaps I’m taking things too literally. Maybe it’s simply a common saying, especially when referring to positive experiences. Time does fly when you’re having fun, after all. And indeed, my son’s fifth birthday has been extremely enjoyable. We kept the party small because he tends to get overwhelmed in large groups. “Overwhelmed” here is a polite term for his tendency to be extremely unreasonable.
We had a few close family members and friends who truly spoiled him with gifts. His favorite present was a globe from his grandparents. This unique globe lights up and provides educational videos about any location you touch with a stylus. Different settings offer information about the culture, animals, flags, and landmarks of each country. You can even explore specific points in the oceans to learn about the marine life there.
I watch as he interacts with the globe, sharing facts about the migratory patterns of basking sharks or the megafauna of Madagascar. He soon requests that I download an add-on from the globe’s ancillary website, which provides information about dinosaurs discovered in different parts of the world. He happily demonstrates the globe’s features to his friends, cousins, and even his baby sister, who enthusiastically observes whenever a seal appears on the screen, as seals are her favorite toys. It’s truly thrilling to witness his curiosity and joy as he explores everything our planet has to offer. And yes, I can’t help but marvel at how much my sweet, funny, and kind son has grown. He’s already a man of the world, even at such a young age.
Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? by Séamas O’Reilly is out now (Little, Brown, £16.99).
Buy a copy from guardianbookshop at £14.78
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