Have You Mastered the Parenting Skill of Letting Your Kids Go?
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*I initially wrote this the day before my kids went back to school after their summer vacation and forgot about it! They have been in school for almost a quarter of their school year. It’s going by quickly….and someone must stop the clock and make time stand still! Have you mastered the parenting skill of letting your kids go?
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It seems as if it was just yesterday that I was dropping my sweet little girl off at preschool. She started going to “school” at the age of 3 through our local park district. She was fully potty trained at 2 so she was able to be enrolled at the age of 3. It was two days a week for just a few hours but it gave me time to run to the store and back. I would drive up to the door and the teachers got all the kids out of their cars and she ran off without batting and eye. She loved school. She loved doing crafts and reading there. Then we moved her to a regular preschool and again, she was excited to go be with her teachers and friends. When it came time to go to kindergarten she was already a school pro. She walked into the elementary school doors excited and proud. She never looked back. Fast-forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow I will wake up with her, meet her at the front door, take her picture and send her on her way. Tomorrow is her last “first day” of high school. She’s a senior now. In 9 short months she will officially be a college student! She is my first child so really all that it means is she is my test subject. She did all the “firsts”, first. She went to preschool first, went to kindergarten first, went to middle school first, graduated middle school first, entered high school first, did drivers ed first, got her license first and now will graduate from high school first. With all these firsts, she will also be the first that I have to let go.
Am I ready to let her go? Absolutely NOT! I am in no way ready. I am now hearing stories of parents getting ready to send their kids off to college and I panic. Then I think that I may be ready to let her go, but is she ready to be let go? Have I taught her all that I need to teach her for now? I don’t think so. I think she has a lot to learn and I am running out of valuable teaching time!
I might be a self-proclaimed expert in a lot of areas, but letting go isn’t one of them! Tell me, experienced moms. How have you learned to “let go” of your child?
I don’t think I will ever be ready to let my littles go. I remember the first time I dropped Caleb off at daycare. I am going to be a MESS his first day of preschool. I need all the advice I can get!
Ahhhh Jules, my best piece of advice….take it all in and cherish every moment! Time really does fly by and sadly in a blink of an eye you’ll see them all grown and starting their life journey without you. It’s exciting to see them grow into individuals with their own dreams, goals, opinions and skills, but sometimes I just want them little again. I’m the one with separation anxiety now!