This really resonates. My kids are both in their early 20’s and living on the other side of the country for school, while it gets easier that little worry is always present. It truly feels like two of my own limbs are out in the world without me…and yet there’s also such excitement and pride when they’re doing it! All the hard things! I love a random FaceTime or call with an update on their life or relationship or someone who was annoying, and the texting silly or random things is a joy as well. I honestly think the hardest part for me is also figuring out who I am and what I need now that I’m not needed in such an all encompassing way? It’s really a trip this whole mothering thing. ♥️
My son is 34, and every time he flies somewhere that I know about (he lives on the other side of the country from me), I make him give me his flight information so that I can track him like an Amazon Prime delivery. He's about to get on a plane right now, and I'll be checking Flight Aware the rest of the day.
“ Teen immediately begins loudly dictating pre-made messages telling me that he’s not dead” lol. 💜💜💜
My daughter (24) just left today to drive to NOLA from VA as she moves there with her fiancé and starts her first full time professional job. She’s amazing. She’s fully competent and I’m going to miss her so much. I both trust her and want to wrap her in a cocoon in my pocket.
So loving the window into this stage. My older will be a high school senior next year and my younger a freshman. I’m simultaneously freaking out they’re leaving soon and looking forward to what comes next for me. Thank you for putting it I to words
I think you are doing great. I am a middle aged adult who is leaving the country tomorrow for a trip and my Mother just texted wanting my itinerary. I think the worry becomes less and easier but it never goes away.
This was so beautiful to read - thank you for sharing! Love the description of "small, squirmy worms" too haha (how were they ever that tiny!). Enjoy the rest of your time in Paris!
Oh, mama. As the mother of two, who are 20 and 15, I FEEL YOU on this one. I've spent slightly longer stretches away from both of mine once or twice because of summer camp and co-parenting, but still I think about them leaving my house (older one is just about to start community college in the fall and is still at home) and I can't quite breathe. I think the next 4-6 years are going to be some of the hardest of my life. Not because I don't want them to go out into the world, and I don't yearn sometimes for more time to myself, but because it will require an unraveling of our daily way we are imbedded in each other's lives and no matter how much I prepare or anticipate I WILL NOT BE READY.
😭 thank you for sharing. I relate so hard to this and often feel like I am the only person on the planet dealing with a difficult teen and my anxieties about being apart from him, trusting him to be independent etc etc. all the things you said. Thank you.
Thank you for this. Knowing you can't keep them safe is so hard! We're pretty good about giving them independence but it's hard to let go. My 14 year old was talking about going to boarding school (to spend all of HS in one place, because we're moving after 9th grade) and my initial reaction was "I am NOT ready to let you go yet!" Luckily she agreed boarding school probably wouldn't work (and also not sure I could afford it) but it really threw me to think of her leaving so soon.
I don’t have children in the same way. But I became aware that what you are going through is a thing when I received a postcard from my Dad: “Hey, your mother misses her little buddy. Maybe a call? Letter? Love Pop
Glad you are planning for this transition… which is huge… and sharing the message… 💕
Oh, where to start? This was amazing to read right now. Just what I needed. These teenagers makes me want to both disappear and be a constant fly on their shoulder. Well, thank you for sharing, you are not alone!
this right here: "that’s the hardest part of parenting. Everything in our bones tells us that we have to keep them safe." -- that is the job of mom. it's beautiful, though, that you were able to give him an experience of a new country, and flying solo. that will be a skill he uses all his life.
I remember I went to Germany on an exchange trip - few to Berlin from WA DC when I was 16 years old. It seems unimaginable to me now, but in 1987 it was doable. It was one of the happiest months of my life, gallivanting about Berlin, trying to speak German, going to cafes and museums.
Feeling this so hard! Just sent kid #2 off to college (yes, it starts this early). Still one more at home ... I have a 12-year gap between oldest and youngest so that's a lot of child-rearing time.
My kids are your age and I still worry about their choices, but worry is just misplaced mistrust. They are now and always have done just fine. Yours will too. Now you just have to trust that you really have done a good job of parenting, giving them the fundamentals they need to make it in the world.
I Don't Know How I'm Doing
This really resonates. My kids are both in their early 20’s and living on the other side of the country for school, while it gets easier that little worry is always present. It truly feels like two of my own limbs are out in the world without me…and yet there’s also such excitement and pride when they’re doing it! All the hard things! I love a random FaceTime or call with an update on their life or relationship or someone who was annoying, and the texting silly or random things is a joy as well. I honestly think the hardest part for me is also figuring out who I am and what I need now that I’m not needed in such an all encompassing way? It’s really a trip this whole mothering thing. ♥️
My son is 34, and every time he flies somewhere that I know about (he lives on the other side of the country from me), I make him give me his flight information so that I can track him like an Amazon Prime delivery. He's about to get on a plane right now, and I'll be checking Flight Aware the rest of the day.
“ Teen immediately begins loudly dictating pre-made messages telling me that he’s not dead” lol. 💜💜💜
My daughter (24) just left today to drive to NOLA from VA as she moves there with her fiancé and starts her first full time professional job. She’s amazing. She’s fully competent and I’m going to miss her so much. I both trust her and want to wrap her in a cocoon in my pocket.
I love the way you share both the anxiety along with some humorous writing - tears along with laughter!
So loving the window into this stage. My older will be a high school senior next year and my younger a freshman. I’m simultaneously freaking out they’re leaving soon and looking forward to what comes next for me. Thank you for putting it I to words
I think you are doing great. I am a middle aged adult who is leaving the country tomorrow for a trip and my Mother just texted wanting my itinerary. I think the worry becomes less and easier but it never goes away.
This was so beautiful to read - thank you for sharing! Love the description of "small, squirmy worms" too haha (how were they ever that tiny!). Enjoy the rest of your time in Paris!
Oh, mama. As the mother of two, who are 20 and 15, I FEEL YOU on this one. I've spent slightly longer stretches away from both of mine once or twice because of summer camp and co-parenting, but still I think about them leaving my house (older one is just about to start community college in the fall and is still at home) and I can't quite breathe. I think the next 4-6 years are going to be some of the hardest of my life. Not because I don't want them to go out into the world, and I don't yearn sometimes for more time to myself, but because it will require an unraveling of our daily way we are imbedded in each other's lives and no matter how much I prepare or anticipate I WILL NOT BE READY.
😭 thank you for sharing. I relate so hard to this and often feel like I am the only person on the planet dealing with a difficult teen and my anxieties about being apart from him, trusting him to be independent etc etc. all the things you said. Thank you.
So true, and made me laugh aloud enough that I had to read the whole thing to my partner. :-)
Thank you for this. Knowing you can't keep them safe is so hard! We're pretty good about giving them independence but it's hard to let go. My 14 year old was talking about going to boarding school (to spend all of HS in one place, because we're moving after 9th grade) and my initial reaction was "I am NOT ready to let you go yet!" Luckily she agreed boarding school probably wouldn't work (and also not sure I could afford it) but it really threw me to think of her leaving so soon.
I don’t have children in the same way. But I became aware that what you are going through is a thing when I received a postcard from my Dad: “Hey, your mother misses her little buddy. Maybe a call? Letter? Love Pop
Glad you are planning for this transition… which is huge… and sharing the message… 💕
Oh, where to start? This was amazing to read right now. Just what I needed. These teenagers makes me want to both disappear and be a constant fly on their shoulder. Well, thank you for sharing, you are not alone!
this right here: "that’s the hardest part of parenting. Everything in our bones tells us that we have to keep them safe." -- that is the job of mom. it's beautiful, though, that you were able to give him an experience of a new country, and flying solo. that will be a skill he uses all his life.
I remember I went to Germany on an exchange trip - few to Berlin from WA DC when I was 16 years old. It seems unimaginable to me now, but in 1987 it was doable. It was one of the happiest months of my life, gallivanting about Berlin, trying to speak German, going to cafes and museums.
good luck with rest and not worrying. <3
Feeling this so hard! Just sent kid #2 off to college (yes, it starts this early). Still one more at home ... I have a 12-year gap between oldest and youngest so that's a lot of child-rearing time.
My kids are your age and I still worry about their choices, but worry is just misplaced mistrust. They are now and always have done just fine. Yours will too. Now you just have to trust that you really have done a good job of parenting, giving them the fundamentals they need to make it in the world.