Letting Go

You know it’s coming. You’re holding their hand and one day...they walk on, their hand slips from yours and you are suppose to - wait for it - 

STOP. 

No, parent.  You are not suppose to chase after them. You are not suppose to yell for them to wait up. You are suppose to quietly, stop.  So your child might be, let’s say - pick a random number.  Mmmm, 17.  No really.  SEVENTEEN.  And you know it’s coming. You’re ready. Okay. Okay. When? 

No. Not yet. 

What’s coming?  You know what's coming.  You've been shielding her from it for 17 years.  But you know - IT has to happen.  Life.  Outside the protective arms of a parent.  Up to this point, you’ve been able to oversee and keep all of it away. Sitting in your cushy little place in parenting. Control. But now, well now - it’s really time to let go.  You're ready. Here we go.

When? Now?  
Oh you mean, Now? 
Wait - Now?

The kid is dragging you along.  Do you see yourself?  You are like a toddler who doesn’t want to stop the playdate and your mom is dragging you by one arm as you lift up your legs and scream NO, I want to stay here! all the way across the playground to the car. Your kid looks at you first with teenage attitude - the eye of understanding and compassion hidden inside somewhere. But now, they are just a tiny bit disgusted. With you. And rightly so.  You’ve been screaming too long. You should have hopped off the merry go round quite a while back.

Yes. Now.  It's time.