The View From My Study 4 September 2026

On Tuesday this week, a colleague remarked how nice it was to see the children back in school and also that the summer seemed to have flown by. “We’ll need to start preparing for Christmas soon,” she said.

I laughed and agreed but then checked myself and thought ‘no, definitely not’. We need to enjoy this moment. Enjoy the here and now. Not constantly look forward to the next thing and worry about what needs to be done.

As parents, it is only natural to think ahead. We wonder how our children will settle into a new school or year group, what friendships they will form, what successes they will achieve, and what challenges they may face. Looking to the future is part of caring deeply about our children.

Yet childhood is not simply a preparation for what comes next. It is a precious time in its own right. Amid busy schedules and commitments, professional or social events and future aspirations, it is worth pausing occasionally to enjoy the moment we are in.

Children have a wonderful ability to be present. They delight in a new climbing frame, a comfy bean bag in the library, a woodland hiding place, a break-time game of tag or a shared meal. They remind us that life is often found in the small moments rather than the milestones. While ambition and planning have their place, some of the richest memories are created when we slow down enough to notice what is happening today.

So, as we begin another school year, although ambitions and targets are in the air, we’re also thinking about how we enjoy the moment. It has been lovely to see the children smiling and engaged with each other this week, happy to see familiar faces not seen for a few weeks, and eager to make friends with arrivals not yet known. Long may it continue.

This year’s journey will be different from the last – it always is – and I am looking forward to celebrating the everyday moments, and taking time to appreciate the children as they are today, not just the young adults they will one day become.