After sending these photos of my day to a certain sibling of mine, a text showed up on my phone asking how I can be “so chill” as a parent. I seriously thought the message had been sent to the wrong person. I had to take a few minutes to let that observation of me and my parenting sink in. Chill??? Who? Me?!?!
I’m the mom who is constantly saying, “Be careful!” “Watch out!” “I don’t think that’s a good idea!” I am the mom whom my kids claim is the most strict in the entire state of Florida. Aren’t I the one who still checks every single night to make sure each and every one of them is still breathing?!
But then I saw myself and how much I’ve actually eased. I’m now the mom who lets her kids walk through the neighborhood alone, allows them to bike distances exploring their new town, and encourages them to cook yummy dinners and delicious desserts all on their own. Man, sometimes I even ask my girl to DRIVE! I’ve become the mom I used to look at wide-eyed and jaw-dropped thinking there's no way I'll ever be able to let mine grow up like that.
Suddenly it hit me...I haven't really changed; I’m doing the very same thing I have always done. As parents, we teach our kids through baby steps. We may teach them to eat, to crawl, to walk, to ride a bike...all the while watching them like a hawk, showing them the parameters for them to do it safely, and then letting them go...watching them learn, master, and glow all on their own, with us gushing about their accomplishments and gently nudging them a little further each time. It's just that now my kids are mastering different skills...how to be responsible, independent, cautious, beautiful young adults. I’m still doing the overly cautious parenting thing, shouting my warnings as they walk out the door, checking to make sure they arrived safely, but I’m doing it on a whole new crazy level. And every step of the way, I'm singing their praises, telling them what a great job they're doing, but also trying to easily lean them into trying again in a slightly more thought out way.
And so, to my sibling who totally boosted my ego, and to all the mamas and papas feeling overwhelmed, and to myself when tomorrow I'm back to pulling my hair out and trying to catch my breath, remember to take it one moment at a time, baby steps. When you lie in bed each night, utterly exhausted from chasing around your lovelies (whether they be toddlers or teens), reflect on all of the things you did right and those things you should try to do better tomorrow, marvel that somehow those kiddos who've been entrusted to you lived through another day, and thank God for blessing you with your heart full of your handful.
