A while ago, a heavy barstool fell on my daughter’s toes. We were up late icing and elevating. I texted my mom a picture of her foot the next morning to get her advice. Two minutes later, my parents were banging my door down. Three of her toes were bruised and swollen pretty badly, but thankfully she was okay.

Apparently, she still needed plenty of attention though. They propped her leg up, brought her breakfast in bed, held ice to her toes, and literally spoon-fed my 6-year-old breakfast. It’s moments like these when I would often take a step back and question what in the world is happening?!? But now, I think I finally get it.

See, I  would always tease “Where was this crazy attention when I was a kid? Why are rules out the window now? Why do my kids get so spoiled?” Don’t get me wrong, my parents were wonderful to us growing up, but now, they’re like these magical people made of pixie dust in fairytales.

As much as I tease them, I actually find no greater joy than seeing my kids be so overloved by them. I’ve come to learn that as a kid, you aspire to be like them when you become a parent. But then, once you have your own kids, you realize the bigger goal is to aspire to be like them when you become a grandparent.

To me, that’s the true definition of successful parenting: loving your own children so much to set rules, not over spoil, and give that tough love as you raise them to be the next generation of wonderful parents.

And then—just then—once you’re sure you’ve done that, the phase of life when you can finally lean back, let go of rules, slow down to enjoy the little moments, and spoil with your whole heart presents itself. After all, this beautiful life we live is just one big circle of different phases and generations of love that God gifts us, isn’t it?