I used to think that raising a toddler was the hardest thing in the world, but now that my daughter is 18-years-old and is spreading her wings, I have to say this may be even harder. I could never imagine the day she would be preparing to spread her wings and fly off to college, yet here we are.
As I write this, tears are falling down my cheeks. She is my BABY. However, she is not my baby anymore. I mean, she will always be my baby, but now my baby will be on her own and it’s scary. When my mom told me that a mother’s worry never ends, she should have told me it only gets worse. However, there are a few things I have tried to keep in mind throughout this process.
1. They will always need you.
No matter how old your child gets, they will always need you. Even when they move out, get married and have kids, they will still need your love and support, Them growing up does not mean they don’t need you any longer.
2. The fact that they are spreading their wings means you did your job.
If your child is spreading their wings, going to college, starting a new job, getting married, or whatever the case may be, that simply means you did your job.
3. Your relationship will only deepen.
As your kids grow into adults, your relationship will change, but in a good way. They will bond with you more and understand you more and the reasons why you put limits on them and held them responsible as kids. They will reach out more for advice, and they will open up more and more.
4. They will remember every lesson you taught them.
All those lessons you taught them growing up, will enter their mind time and time again. It may take some time, but they will likely even thank you for it.
5. You can always swoop in to save the day, no matter how old they are.
No matter how old your child gets, you can always help them. I don’t mean that. You should enable them when they need to stand on their own, but you can always show support and love to them.