The Nutshell w/e 12th December

Dear Parents,

Everything we do in the early years of our children, every routine and boundary and moment of encouragement, gently lays the groundwork for this future chapter of parenting, where our children step forward with growing independence and we step back with growing confidence.

So why did no one tell me…

…that having young adult children would feel like this?

Rewarding. Challenging. Utterly terrifying at times. Confusing. Lonely. Not lonely. The late nights start all over again… but now for entirely different reasons. Yet through the laughter, worry, curiosity, and constant “Where are you now?” messages, we share something beautiful, a new chapter of family life where they grow, and we grow with them.

You find yourself juggling a brand new role, being the parent who knows they are now adults, while also being permanently on standby, just in case they quietly need you to slip back into full mother mode. And then, just as quickly, knowing when to step away again before becoming a nuisance in the most wonderful, exciting phase of their lives.

With brains still busy finishing their development, we get a front row seat to watch them learn, explore, stumble, and truly find their way, and we learn, explore, and stumble right along with them.

We laugh. We worry. We cry. We celebrate.

And somehow, together, we discover this fantastically scary, wonderfully exhilarating balancing act of parenting young adults, a relationship constantly shifting, stretching, and growing, just as they are.

No one tells you how brilliant their company becomes, and that while you are not their friend, they offer you a whole new perspective on a rapidly changing world. It is something to embrace, and to listen to.

And perhaps the most reassuring thought of all is this: every small moment we pour into them when they are little becomes part of the steady foundation that allows us, one day, to step back with trust as they step forward with courage.

Best wishes,

Lindie

Read full Nutshell here