The Boy turned 21 today. The Girl turned 19.
We went down to Charlottesville yesterday to spend Easter with The Boy and celebrate his coming of age. Thanks to the miracle of Skype, The Girl joined us virtually for cake, candles and opening presents. I had sent hers the week before, but the stinker couldn't wait for Sunday, and opened everything the day they came.
It was a good day, although it would have been better if The Girl had been home. It didn't help that there was another earthquake on the west coast this morning. Although the epicenter was in Baja California, The Girl felt it in LA. She talked to Third Dad about it, and appeared pretty nonplussed. I wasn't - seriously, it makes me nervous just thinking about it.
21. Just thinking about this makes my head spin. It'll probably spin right off when The Girl turns 21 in two years.
No one prepares you for this part of parenting. You can find books and classes on all kinds of parenting subjects, but I haven't found one yet that tells us how to parent ourselves through our children's entrance into adulthood.
It's a heck of a lot harder than I expected.
You are so right! I am still struggling with what it even means to be a "parent" to an adult. I had lost my parents when I was young so never had that kind of relationship with them as an adult to know how to do it or not to do it. I don't know what my job as a parent is anymore at all and my "little ones" are now 45, 28 and 23. I love them dearly and am so proud of them all - yet I miss my little girls :)
ReplyDeleteMaggie
I am so glad the Tongginator is still so small. Every year her world gets bigger and I am left frozen as I imagine life in ten to fifteen years. I'm so glad you are sharing your thoughts during this time.
ReplyDeleteWishing both your beautiful children the best as they enter into this exciting time in life. For you my dear Margie, I wish for renewed happiness. You will find your way and you are right, there are no books out there to teach you to parent yourself at this time.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteDear dear Margie, once you find your rhythm it becomes equally as fun as when they were young, and that awful aching goes away, and I've even forgotten about how hard it was, until you reminded me.
ReplyDeleteRemember back in 2004 at KAAN when I did the session "Giving My Kids Custody of Their Own Lives" Back then M & P were still under your wing, and I was learning to fly alone.
I guess what we all learned in that session, and the one that followed the next year is that "When you come to the end of all you've known, one of two things will happen - either there will be something soft for you to land on, or you will learn to fly.
Terra, whose youngest just turned 29 yikes!