29 Mar Growing Up

“Remember, the goal is not to raise great kids; it’s to raise kids who become great adults.”     ― Andy Andrews

I was looking through my planner and it donned on me that my son will be turning 16 next month. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that he was born. 

When you have children, you cannot wait for them to grow up. But when they start growing up, you wish they were little again. It is an ongoing cycle. Why is there so much regret and pain when our children grow up? We should be celebrating their growth and maturity but instead we are wishing they would stay little forever. I believe some of it could be “empty nest” syndrome but there must be other reasons. Some of these reasons could be relinquishing the control we have in their lives, afraid for our children to fail, and most of all… the children leaving home. 

I believe relinquishing the control we have on their lives is just part of the children growing up. It is time for them to make decisions about their life and future now. All we can be is supportive of their decisions. Seeing our children fail in any way is hard but have we not failed at something or another. Failing is part of growing up as well. A person must fail at something to learn important life lessons. Leaving home is also part of growing up. It is a rite of passage. Children cannot live at home forever. They must spread their wings and fly on their own. We will always be there to listen and guide them. But they must do the work. 

Sources:

https://www.therandomvibez.com/quotes-about-kids-growing-up/

http://andrewscottlinder.com/how-to-know-when-your-kids-are-growing-up