Feeling sad as my children start to grow up - advice anyone?

Hi everyone,

I wonder if anyone feels like I do right now. Its really odd cos i'm a forward looking, positive guy, have a fab healthy family, two boys (eight and ten) and two girls (four and six) and a lovely wife. We have good holidays, have a nice home, the children all get on (well within reason!) and we do lots together as a family.

However, I am presently so sad and I can't put my finger on why. This sounds silly but our cat died recently and he'd been a part of our home for 15 years. I looked back at a few old photos and videos to remind me of him and suddenly realised how much of the children's childhood had gone by - those precious times ( i know that they are all precious) when they were babies and toddlers at Christmas and birthdays and when they were much more dependent on us. My youngest goes to school in September and whilst she needs the stimulation I hate the thought of not having young children at home. I kinda want to turn the clock back but know that I can't.

Its weird and I know that im really lucky and have absolutely no reason to be so sad but i can't seem to snap out of it.

I can rationalise and tell myself that life changes all the time and Ive been so completely happy until the last three months - that seems to make it worse because its so not like me to feel like I do.

Has anyone else felt like this? and does it pass in time? Any help or advice would be really appreciated,

Stew

i can only imagine how you feel as my little one is a long way off that point just yet - but like you, i will want him to stay little forever! i dread to think of him not needing me anymore!! im with him 24/7, i packed in my job to raise him and i cant bear to leave him - let alone allow him, when the time comes, to turn away and walk thru them school gates without me!!

i suppose iv got it all to come yet havent i! and i dont know what im going to do!!