One of the biggest joys of being a parent is watching your child grow up and experience life. When your child is an infant, these milestones can be as simple as a first smile. As kids age and eventually grow into adulthood, these milestones will become much larger. Things like their high school graduation, first career job, wedding, their own babies, etc. It can be a delicate balance trying to figure out how to support your child during major life moments in a way that serves you both. Here are a few examples of significant milestones for your kid and how you can navigate them together.
When They Get Their Driver’s License
When a child gets their driver’s license, this is probably their first true sense of freedom. This is also a great time to put your trust in your kid on full display. It can feel uneasy as a parent to just hand over the car keys and let their child hit the road on a whim however, try not to let your feelings cloud this moment in time.
If you feel especially nervous but still want your child to experience this happily, perhaps consider additional education and practice beyond traditional drivers training courses. Encouraging your child to take a defensive driving course can give you both a little more security. These programs show new drivers, as well as experienced ones, how to handle events on the road that require a little more tactile thinking than simply cruising to the mall. This might give you the peace of mind your need to support them without hovering too closely.
When They Start to Think About College
As your teen moves through high school, the subject of college is bound to come up, and honestly, the earlier, the better. If this is something they want for their future, the best thing to do is normalize the conversation and speak openly as a family about how that will look. Do they know what career path they want to venture down? Are they considering moving away for school or staying local? How will tuition and other various costs be paid for?
Money is no longer the taboo subject that it once was and as a parent, doing everything you can to increase your child’s financial literacy is ideal. Before you get into who is paying for what, educate your kid on the option of scholarships. With platforms like Going Merry college scholarships you create a profile that will then match you with appropriate scholarship opportunities. The number of scholarships you can apply for is limitless, so there is a huge opportunity to acquire some free money to use towards college. Teaching your child about this as a first resort, then deciding how the financial gaps will be filled in is a great way to collectively tackle this phase of life.
When They Get Married
Of course, not everyone gets married; however, if your child does decide to, you should be prepared as to how your input will be managed. The most important thing to remember is your child’s happiness and also that they have chosen a partner who they now will consider in all their major decisions. Some parents struggle to find their place in the shuffle of planning a wedding, but it is not impossible.
Try to remind yourself that this day belongs to the bride and groom and that choices that are made that do not align with your personal preference were not made as a personal attack on your perspective. You can stay involved by offering to throw a bridal shower, help with the rehearsal dinner, or simply be a sounding board. This huge milestone does not need to be filled with family tension, so do your part to avoid creating any for the sake of your child.
