‘Ruuhkavuodet’ in Finnish refers to those years when your kids are still small and you juggle family, a full-time job, chores, hobbies and everything else everyday life.

Although the term is quite neutral, the direct translation, “traffic jam years” carries a nuance of being overwhelmed and too busy for your own good… It is one of those concepts, that once mentioned, makes everyone nod in quiet understanding.

However, in almost every piece of research on the topic, that is also the time of life  people miss the most as they grow older. It may be tough at times, but is it full of small magical moment.