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Learning to Let Go
Why Growing Up Is Hard on You By Gwen Morrison
"The fact is more monitoring is needed by parents as the child becomes a teen," Kuchenbecker says. "Parents need to listen and understand, then offer adult perspective, provide information, support and guidance where necessary."
Even though teenagers think they don't need their parents, deep down they still do. As they venture out and experience new things in their pre-adult lives, they still need their parents. It is our job to provide an environment that allows them to express their concerns without fear of rejection or disapproval. Teenagers who are learning to live in an adult world are sure to make their share of mistakes how else will they learn? It is the nature of growing up, learning through trial and error. Be patient with them as they stumble through their new responsibilities.
No one ever said raising children was easy, and getting through the teenage years can be a challenge at best. When the time comes to let your child spread his wings, remember that this is what life is about. This is what you have been doing all along preparing him for the privileges that come with being an adult. All the things you have been teaching him all these years will now be challenged in the real world.
What we must realize from the start is that the ultimate goal of parenting is to raise responsible, self-sufficient adults. If they don't need you as much when they become teenagers, then you have accomplished just that and equipped them with the tools to succeed on their own. Sit back, enjoy and congratulate yourself on a job well done.