Rites of Passage and Unraveling the Apron Strings.
The look on my 16yo daughter's face was absolutely priceless! The excited glow of a teenage girl just getting her driver's license is something I will never forget. With every rite of passage, comes more responsibility. She is able to juggle the constant barrage of schoolwork, college test preparation, and college hunting while still managing to have a social life. She is handling them as I never could. While still a little uncertain, she has a loosely based plan and looks forward to starting her new career as college student.
As I look at this gorgeous creature who has so much promise, the realization that she is just that much closer to leaving the nest that I have carefully constructed is hitting me with a repeated one-two punch that I am not quite ready for.
I had no idea that I would be capable of raising a daughter that could handle so much and while still faltering on occasion, (who doesn't?!?), she gets right back up and continues on. She is a much better version of myself. I have tried to instill in her my better values and she has developed quite a few on her own. She is a strong, independent, intelligent young woman who takes her future seriously, but still has time to sing at the top of her lungs, mostly off key, when getting ready for school. Her passion for music has caused her to stick it out with the school orchestra for seven years even though she has wanted to give in at times as French Horn is not what is considered "cool". Her love of fashion has culminated in being the fashion consultant for the family. Her look of "are you really going out dressed like that?" has caused all of us a quick trip back to our closets to rethink clothing options on a regular basis.
How did that little screaming bundle of squirm end up as this beautiful and mostly confident creature? I hope I can claim a little responsibility even though she still refers to me as the "13 year old boy trapped in the body of a 40ish year old woman". She has my laugh even though she refuses to admit it. She has my temperament and ability to call it like she sees it but with a little more filter, which I have assured her dwindles with time, the filter part not the temper part. She has surprised me with her occasional reservedness and mostly cautious inquisitiveness.
The boyfriend thing she is still working out but she has great promise! She is unwilling to compromise who she is or what she wants out of life over a young man. There is plenty of time to figure out that careful balancing act when she finds her special someone while she refuses to waste it on boys not worth her time or energy. Thank goodness she can usually figure that one out, without too much guidance, on her own.
I keep telling her that College will be her golden time. Freshman and Sophomore year are for figuring out who you are and the hard work will be easier come Junior and Senior year. Junior and Senior year will be focusing on getting to College and once you are there it will hopefully become even clearer who you are and what you want to accomplish. The importance of taking the time to enjoy the moment while you are in the moment should not be taken for granted. Those down times and how you spend them are also important. Taking a little time to yourself to re-energize and reflect is never a waste of time.
Preparing her for the milestones, heartaches, triumphs and letdowns are all important and seemingly never ending. I hate it when parents don't use failures as opportunities to teach their children how to cope with life. Life is not without them and if your kids do not know how to handle them that's when the tragedies or bad judgments happen. Learn from every experience and remember that how you handle yourself is what defines you.
Ugh! Whoever said parenting was easy didn't even have kids! As I think about her starting out as an adult on her own, I get terrified! There are so many obstacles and experiences that she will have to go through without me but I think and I hope she knows I will always be here, as a sounding board, her personal cheerleader, a pajama movie night buddy but mostly a hopeful and proud mother.
As I look at this gorgeous creature who has so much promise, the realization that she is just that much closer to leaving the nest that I have carefully constructed is hitting me with a repeated one-two punch that I am not quite ready for.
I had no idea that I would be capable of raising a daughter that could handle so much and while still faltering on occasion, (who doesn't?!?), she gets right back up and continues on. She is a much better version of myself. I have tried to instill in her my better values and she has developed quite a few on her own. She is a strong, independent, intelligent young woman who takes her future seriously, but still has time to sing at the top of her lungs, mostly off key, when getting ready for school. Her passion for music has caused her to stick it out with the school orchestra for seven years even though she has wanted to give in at times as French Horn is not what is considered "cool". Her love of fashion has culminated in being the fashion consultant for the family. Her look of "are you really going out dressed like that?" has caused all of us a quick trip back to our closets to rethink clothing options on a regular basis.
How did that little screaming bundle of squirm end up as this beautiful and mostly confident creature? I hope I can claim a little responsibility even though she still refers to me as the "13 year old boy trapped in the body of a 40ish year old woman". She has my laugh even though she refuses to admit it. She has my temperament and ability to call it like she sees it but with a little more filter, which I have assured her dwindles with time, the filter part not the temper part. She has surprised me with her occasional reservedness and mostly cautious inquisitiveness.
The boyfriend thing she is still working out but she has great promise! She is unwilling to compromise who she is or what she wants out of life over a young man. There is plenty of time to figure out that careful balancing act when she finds her special someone while she refuses to waste it on boys not worth her time or energy. Thank goodness she can usually figure that one out, without too much guidance, on her own.
I keep telling her that College will be her golden time. Freshman and Sophomore year are for figuring out who you are and the hard work will be easier come Junior and Senior year. Junior and Senior year will be focusing on getting to College and once you are there it will hopefully become even clearer who you are and what you want to accomplish. The importance of taking the time to enjoy the moment while you are in the moment should not be taken for granted. Those down times and how you spend them are also important. Taking a little time to yourself to re-energize and reflect is never a waste of time.
Preparing her for the milestones, heartaches, triumphs and letdowns are all important and seemingly never ending. I hate it when parents don't use failures as opportunities to teach their children how to cope with life. Life is not without them and if your kids do not know how to handle them that's when the tragedies or bad judgments happen. Learn from every experience and remember that how you handle yourself is what defines you.
Ugh! Whoever said parenting was easy didn't even have kids! As I think about her starting out as an adult on her own, I get terrified! There are so many obstacles and experiences that she will have to go through without me but I think and I hope she knows I will always be here, as a sounding board, her personal cheerleader, a pajama movie night buddy but mostly a hopeful and proud mother.
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