How do you know when your kids are ready to move on to what I call the “Real World”? A world where we as parents aren’t there every day making sure that our kids are making smart rational decisions?
I am asking because Sabreena turned 17 today and I don’t feel like she is ready to leave for college next year and be on her own making her own decisions. Maybe all parents feel this way about their kids but part of me wishes I didn’t. I want to feel like Melinda and I have done a good job getting her ready to conquer the world on her own with little or no help from us.
Right now I feel like she is very dependent on Melinda and myself which I am ok with on some level but I told her she needs to start making decisions on her own and dealing with the consequences of her decisions. Not that I am trying to set her up for failure but I want her to be able to handle herself when she does move onto college and not be totally stressed when the time comes for her to start making decisions. I am sure she is going to be stressed at first but over time it should become second nature for her. I feel like Sabreena is a very responsible person but I am still scared to death to let her out into the word on her own. I know I can’t protect her forever from everything but part of me wishes I could. I know making mistakes and bad decision is part of life and makes a person who they are but the thought of it is hard.
So I am hoping that over the next year she will become a little more independent so that when she does leave for college I won’t be a total wreck. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for my hearts sake.
