Transcript: What Two Little Girls Taught Me About Slowing Down and Noticing

This is a text transcript from The First Time Mum’s Chat podcast. The episode is called What Two Little Girls Taught Me About Slowing Down and Noticing and you can click on the link to view the full episode page, listen to the episode and view the show notes.

Have you ever looked at your child and suddenly realized they’re no longer the tiny baby you remember? This month, I’m sharing a quiet moment with the twins I care for that stayed with me long after the day had ended. Watching them take their first confident steps into independence made me realize how many extraordinary moments are hidden inside the ordinary ones.

Join me as I reflect on curiosity, confidence, reassurance, and why slowing down to really notice these moments can change the way we see our children’s journey.

I’m Helen Thompson, and welcome to First Time Mum’s Chat. If you’re new to the podcast, it’s all about celebrating the everyday moments of early parenthood that often pass by before we realize just how special they are. Each month, I share real stories and conversations that’ll encourage us to slow down, look a little closer, and find confidence in the parenting journey.

Can you remember the first time your little one chose to walk away from you? Not because they didn’t need you anymore, but because they were ready to discover the world themselves. This month, I’m sharing a moment that unfolded while I was spending time with the twins I care for. At first, it simply looked like two toddlers wandering around a garden, but as I watched them exploring with fresh confidence, checking back for reassurance, and revealing little glimpses of their own personalities, I realized I wasn’t really watching them learn to walk at all.

I was watching them discover freedom. That ordinary morning stayed with me long after it had finished, and I think many parents will recognize why. So if you’ve ever found yourself wondering how your little one seems to grow almost overnight, or you’ve ever wished you could hold onto those tiny moments just a little longer, I think you’ll enjoy today’s episode.

Let’s begin.

I was outside with the twins I worked with last week as we explored the garden together. It wasn’t really about the swings or any one activity. It was about watching two little girls experience the world in a completely different way now that they could confidently explore it on their own two feet.

What really caught my eye was just how happy they both were to finally be exploring more independently and going where they wanted to go instead of always being pushed in a pram. They were smiling, chatting away in their tiny little words, stumbling over from time to time, picking themselves up again, and eagerly moving towards whatever had captured their attention next.

Every few moments, something new would capture their attention, and off they would go again. They wandered from one little discovery to the next, completely guided by their own curiosity. It was lovely to watch them making their own choices about where they wanted to explore, simply because something had caught their eye.

It felt as though every few steps, another little discovery was waiting for them, and watching their excitement grow with each one was such a joy There was no plan or destination. They simply followed whatever happened to capture their curiosity at that moment. Watching them reminded me how naturally toddlers live in the present.

They weren’t thinking about where they were going next or what was coming up afterwards. They were completely absorbed in whatever was right in front of them As they explored, there were plenty of little stumbles across the uneven grass. Whenever they fell, I was there if they needed me. But I also loved giving them the opportunity to work out how to get back up by themselves.

Most of the time, they did exactly that before happily carrying on with their exploring as though nothing had happened. What I found especially interesting was watching the different in their personalities beginning to show more clearly now that they’re both walking. It almost felt as though walking had opened up a whole new way for their personalities to express themselves.

Until now, I’d mostly been watching them experience the world where I took them. Suddenly, they were beginning to choose it for themselves. They could decide what looked interesting, where they wanted to go, and how long they wanted to stay there. It was fascinating to see those little personalities becoming even more visible.

The more independent they became physically, the more I found myself noticing the little differences in how they approached the world around them

One of the twins has always been just slightly more confident physically, probably because she started walking a week or two earlier. She was eager to move ahead and become involved in everything around her. The other twin was a little more cautious and often looked back towards me for reassurance before continuing to explore again.

Sometimes she would reach for my hand as we walked together, which I quietly treasured.

Those little moments probably only lasted a second or two, but somehow they stayed with me afterwards. It was almost as though she was quietly saying, “Come with me.” Not because she couldn’t do it herself, because sometimes we all feel just a little braver knowing someone we trust is close by. And I think that one of the moments that stayed with me most afterwards, noticing how independence and reassurance seemed to exist together.

Even though they were excited to explore on their own two feet, there was still that quiet checking back to make sure I was there. As both a nanny and childcare educator, it felt especially meaningful to experience this in the calmness of their own home rather than a childcare setting.

I’ve known these twins since they were around eight months old. Sitting there watching them explore so confidently, I find myself thinking about how quickly these little stages go unnoticed in the fast-paced world we all live in today. It honestly doesn’t feel that long ago that I was lifting them from the floor, helping them crawl towards a toy, or carrying them across the garden.

Now, they were deciding for themselves exactly where they wanted to go next. It made me realize just how quietly these little changes happen until one day you suddenly notice them. The whole experience actually left me feeling calmer and more relaxed too. For that little while, I find myself sharing those moments with them as they discovered things that many of us would probably walk straight past.

We stopped to look at the geese together. We wandered over to the goats together. We talked about what we could see. I wasn’t simply watching them explore. I was exploring alongside them. It was such a special moment for me because I felt incredibly privileged to witness them slowly growing into little people rather than just tiny babies they were when I first met them.

What stayed with me most afterwards was not just watching them walk, but watching them experience freedom, curiosity, and confidence in such a simple, natural way. Sharing those moments with them, I realized I wasn’t really thinking about walking at all. I was thinking about how wonderful it must feel to suddenly discover that the world has become so much bigger simply because you can now explore it yourself.

Moments like this can also be a gentle reminder for parents to slow down every now and then and simply observe. I’ll say that again because I think it’s really important. Simply observe. When we take the time to really watch our children, we begin to notice so much more than the milestone itself.

We notice the little choices they make, the way they solve problems, what captures their curiosity, and the unique little personalities that are beginning to shine through. It’s so easy to focus on routines, getting out the door, or the next thing that needs doing, that sometimes we forget just how exciting these moments of independence really are for our children. To someone walking past, it might simply have looked like two toddlers wandering around a garden, stopping to look at the geese before making their way over to the goats.

But for me, it was so much more than that

It was watching two little girls discover the world with fresh eyes, finding excitement in the simplest of things and reminding me just how much wonder there is in those ordinary moments we so often overlook. Maybe that’s why this moment stayed with me for so long afterwards. These little stages can pass so quickly while we’re busy moving through everyday life, and moments like that can sometimes be a gentle reminder to slow down and really notice them while they’re here

I’d love you to think about one ordinary childhood moment that stayed with you. Perhaps it’s a moment where you suddenly realized how quickly they were growing up, or a tiny moment of independence that stayed with you afterwards. It might be something your little one did this week. It might be something from years ago that you’ve never forgotten.

Sometimes it’s those quiet little moments that stay with us the longest. And if one day you’d like to share one of those memories with me, I’d genuinely love to hear from you. You can always get in touch through my website at mybabymassage.net. And once again, thank you so much for listening.