Bedtime looks different now.
Gone are the days of “just one more book,” late-night water requests, or little voices insisting they have to go to the bathroom (again). My daughters are teenagers now, and the rhythm of our evenings has shifted. The chaos has quieted. The routines have matured.
But one thing hasn’t changed: they still ask for hugs before bed.
They still want that moment of connection.
And I still treasure it just as much—maybe more.
Years ago, my youngest reached out with her small hands, shaped them into a heart, and asked me to do the same. She pressed her heart to mine and whispered,
“Our hearts, together forever.”
That one sweet gesture became our nightly ritual. It grounded us. It closed each day with love.
I knew it wouldn’t last forever in that same form—but I hoped the feeling behind it would.
And now, it has. It’s just… different. A little quieter. A little more grown-up. But just as meaningful.
Danica still has her own signature way of saying goodnight—one she made up herself years ago. And Alexandra, even as she’s grown into her own independence, still reaches for that one last moment of connection before drifting off.
Even now, as my girls move through the world with increasing confidence, they pause at the end of the day to say goodnight. Sometimes it’s a quick hug. Sometimes it’s a longer hallway conversation. Sometimes it’s just a simple, “Love you.”
But they still want the connection.
And I still show up for it.
Because if there’s one moment in my day I want to be completely present for—it’s that one.
I know the future will keep evolving. The bedtime rituals may shift again. But for now, in this fleeting, beautiful stage, I get to keep offering that last hug, that sacred pause, that steady presence.
It’s not about how long it lasts.
It’s about being there when it happens.
So if your teenagers still ask for a hug before bed, don’t miss it. If they linger for a moment, lean in. They may not reach for your face like they once did, but they’re still reaching for you in their own way.
And that moment? It’s everything.
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