"Remember, they are here of their own merit, independent from you."
~anonymous teacher
These are some of the words that stuck with me last night when attending an informational meeting about a new school for my son. He is there all day today and I can't stop thinking about him. As mothers/parents we encounter at some point the strange and unexpected dichotomy of parenthood, where on the one hand, our primary efforts are to nurture, to love, to hold close those we've brought forth, and on the other hand we must also learn to let them go, to let them grow and to let them show us who they are and all they can do.
These are the feelings I wrestle with today, thinking about what he's doing and wondering if he loves it as much as he thinks he will. And in the Fall I will navigate these emotions all over again as another of our children starts her Kindergarten year. But I keep reminding myself it's not about me. It's about showing support, encouraging, listening and observing. It's about making sure they know I'm riding the waves with them, not the ones I've chosen, but the ones they have, by their desire, their need for more, and truly, by their own merit.
1 comment:
Very well said- and well worth repeating.
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