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Learning to Let Go
Why Growing Up Is Hard on You By Gwen Morrison
It's difficult for a parent to absorb the inevitable fact that there will come an age when their child won't need them as much. How does a parent prepare for the transition from child to adult, from tucking them into bed to seeing them tackle life on their own?
"It can be hard for parents, especially moms, to adjust to having their children need them less and less," says Dr. Milton Anderson, a pediatric psychologist at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, La. "The preparation for the child to leave the house really begins when the child starts school."
Dr. Anderson agrees that the more aware parents are that this is what we are preparing our children for all along, the easier it will be to accept the changes as our child grows up. "Parents can help themselves by participating happily in the rituals that go along with a child's preparation for going to college, grade school, getting ready for a junior prom or a dance," he says. "A huge amount of psychological work happens with a parent and involves a lot of thinking about the future together."
As children go through the various stages of childhood, celebrate in their growth and development. From riding a bike to driving a car, it's all about learning to do it on their own.
