If you see a middle-aged woman in the store fighting back tears while looking at fruit snacks, chances are she is the mom of a senior.

If you see a mom posting throwback pictures of her kid not only on Thursdays but every day, chances are she is the mom of a senior.

If you see a young-for-her-age and very-slender-after-three-kids woman pleading, begging, and cajoling teenagers to finish high school strong, that’s me, their teacher.

Seriously, it’s that time of year when we are all reminded that time goes fast. And the older you are, the faster it goes (unless you’re in my 4th block class in which case the second hand moves oh so slowly). One day these kids are going to kindergarten, and the next day they are throwing their hat in the air at high school graduation with their parents wondering what just happened.

While January is the traditional time of year to set goals, I think May tends to be a better time to think about goals pertaining to our kids because at this time of the year parents tend to realize how fast time moves. Here are a couple of resources to help you be more intentional about the days you have left with your kids.

The Legacy app – literally count down the days you have until your child graduates from high school. Set up a different countdown for each child or countdown other important dates like the start of the 2014 Alabama football season or the end of the 2014 school year (these are completely hypothetical examples of course).

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/legacy-countdown/id635713919?mt=8

7000 Days – a website devoted to living the 7000 days you have from crib to college intentionally. I especially love the 7000 Days timeline.

http://www.7000days.org/resources

The Barber Five Year Plan – just some thoughts and a timeline jotted down in my notebook now that we are somewhat (emphasize somewhat) trying with our youngest daughter This plan emphasizes a different area for growth each year with readings, activities, and mentoring. Maybe when I finish grading all of my AP essays next week, I can work on getting this in a formal document to share. (Sorry Bethany and Brandon that you missed out on this – just add it to the list of things to tell your therapist about how your parents wronged you).

If you are a grandparent, older adult, or teacher, remember you have limited time also. While you may not have a child living in your house, you can be intentional with young people. My mother-in-law listens to kids read at an elementary school on a regular basis, a friend of mine weekly disciples younger girls, and my husband is about to start community coaching at my high school. The options for you to be present and be intentional with the next generation are limitless, but we must use our time wisely.

Who is one Generation Y student whom I can intentional invest in this week?