I needed this this week - Monday I dropped my elementary aged kiddo at a camp that was a little bit of a question mark and it turns out they hate it! I am fighting every instinct to "fix" it and leaning in to encouraging them to perservere and adapt and have the confidence to do hard things. I think (hope?) I'm succeeding outwardly even though I'm floundering inwardly.
That ending! So relatable to a horse camp pick up I recently had, where the teen counselor casually tells me my 4 year old kid added flair to her ride so she fell off the horse. Everyone was fine and happy, but mom was stunned. It’s hard to see ourselves as worried “old” moms, but somebody’s gotta be at least assessing these risks, even if we ultimately decide to forge ahead with the new experience!
Flooded with emotion here after reading this! Our 12-year-old is going to age out of summer camp. He’s always loved summer camp. This is his last week. Next summer he’ll be doing … we have no idea! Our very anxious 10-year-old this summer wanted to do a variety of different camps, which while logistically a nightmare have been great, she started each new camp just frozen. But then made a ton of friends and has been having a great time. Between them we ping pong how to help or not help and let them sort out their feelings.
It's funny, I don't remember feeling this nervous about my kids going to activities when they were young. I trusted that the counselors/teachers/whatever could handle it. (It probably helps that my kids don't have any health issues.)
But now that I have teenagers, I get nervous a lot more often - because it's no longer about authorities handling it, it's about handing the responsibility directly to my kids. Can my 16 year old handle driver's ed without freezing up? She has an opportunity to fly across the country ALONE - can she do it, or will she fall apart? Should I maybe go with her just in case she needs help?
In both cases, though, it's about letting our kids grow up. Letting them experience some small hardship, so they can see it's not so bad. Letting them make mistakes, and maybe even get their hearts broken. Building their confidence that they CAN do it - no matter what "it" is.
Because if we don't do this, they can't become the adults they need to be.
This one has me feeling all the feels. It is so one thing to be ideological about my parenting and another thing to be me parenting. Love it. Love this. Hope his shoes were found.
I needed this this week - Monday I dropped my elementary aged kiddo at a camp that was a little bit of a question mark and it turns out they hate it! I am fighting every instinct to "fix" it and leaning in to encouraging them to perservere and adapt and have the confidence to do hard things. I think (hope?) I'm succeeding outwardly even though I'm floundering inwardly.
It's so hard!!! Hang in there!
That ending! So relatable to a horse camp pick up I recently had, where the teen counselor casually tells me my 4 year old kid added flair to her ride so she fell off the horse. Everyone was fine and happy, but mom was stunned. It’s hard to see ourselves as worried “old” moms, but somebody’s gotta be at least assessing these risks, even if we ultimately decide to forge ahead with the new experience!
Ugh! It's the casualness that gets me!!
Flooded with emotion here after reading this! Our 12-year-old is going to age out of summer camp. He’s always loved summer camp. This is his last week. Next summer he’ll be doing … we have no idea! Our very anxious 10-year-old this summer wanted to do a variety of different camps, which while logistically a nightmare have been great, she started each new camp just frozen. But then made a ton of friends and has been having a great time. Between them we ping pong how to help or not help and let them sort out their feelings.
So glad it was a great day! I am currently sitting here stressing about how my neurodivergent 6-year-old is doing at camp.
I hope it went okay! Fingers crossed for you!!
It's funny, I don't remember feeling this nervous about my kids going to activities when they were young. I trusted that the counselors/teachers/whatever could handle it. (It probably helps that my kids don't have any health issues.)
But now that I have teenagers, I get nervous a lot more often - because it's no longer about authorities handling it, it's about handing the responsibility directly to my kids. Can my 16 year old handle driver's ed without freezing up? She has an opportunity to fly across the country ALONE - can she do it, or will she fall apart? Should I maybe go with her just in case she needs help?
In both cases, though, it's about letting our kids grow up. Letting them experience some small hardship, so they can see it's not so bad. Letting them make mistakes, and maybe even get their hearts broken. Building their confidence that they CAN do it - no matter what "it" is.
Because if we don't do this, they can't become the adults they need to be.
This one has me feeling all the feels. It is so one thing to be ideological about my parenting and another thing to be me parenting. Love it. Love this. Hope his shoes were found.