After 20 years of marriage, Carl and Emily stood in their oldest son Jake’s room, staring at the half-packed suitcase. Emily sniffled, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I can’t believe it’s time already. Our baby is going to college.”
Carl put his arm around her, nodding solemnly. “Yeah... I mean, who’s going to empty the dishwasher now?”
She elbowed him, though a tiny smile broke through. “You’re impossible.”
Jake, oblivious to the drama, bounced into the room. “I’m going to be late for orientation!” he shouted, grabbing his gaming console before anything practical like extra socks.
As the car pulled out of the driveway, Emily sighed heavily. “The house is going to feel so empty without him.”
Carl raised an eyebrow. “Empty? Or quiet?” His eyes sparkled mischievously. “Remember that trip to Italy we talked about?”
Emily’s mood shifted like flipping a light switch. “And no more piles of sweaty gym clothes everywhere,” she added.
“That’s right. We’re free! For now...” Carl glanced at their other two sons lounging on the couch. “Two more to go.”
Fast-forward to later that night. Jake was Facetiming from his dorm while Carl, Emily, and the younger boys clinked glasses of sparkling cider. The sadness had melted away, replaced with excitement for what was to come.
“I’ll miss you guys,” Jake said, though the background noise of his new college friends told a different story.
Carl leaned in. “Oh, don’t worry, son. You’ll be back soon. We’ve already signed you up for dishwasher and lawn-mowing duty over Christmas break.”
This story is so familiar this time of year. The struggle to let them fly seems so hard at this time. What did we not teach him? Will he eat okay? How will he handle his money? What kinds of friends will he gravitate towards?
Our job as parents is to prepare and launch our children. I call this a celebration with a touch of sadness. What an exciting time to send them off to become their true selves.
This does not happen easily without lots of planning, discipline, and training. Parenting can feel contradictory, as balancing love and discipline can be tricky.
Watch for the blind spots.
Get a copy of Blind Spots in Relationships. Discover the hidden behavior that could be holding you back from the relationships you desire. http://tinyurl.com/yc3usfsp
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