Lifestyle

Living Vicariously Through My Kid

That faint fluttering heard across the globe is the pang of parents’ heavy hearts. The whirring noise is a flock of college kids hastily learning to fly. However painful the process of leaving home is for both sides, the more frightening prospect is your child never leaves home.

image002

Dropping my man-child across the country for his second year at St. FX should have been a breeze. With only one year post-secondary under my belt, a co-ed campus was living the dream. I felt compelled to emulate his care-free ways, because with boys, you’re only young once, but you can be immature forever.

halibeer

We spent three glorious days swapping stories and sipping pints. Then without warning, I was dismissed. My spud dropped me like a hot potato the moment his roommates arrived. After a brief sulk, I was reminded not to make this about me. I enjoyed the same heady freedom 35 years ago when my parents liberated me.

image003

Kid are schooled immediately after leaving home. By second year, Brennan learned to paddle faster to keep his  frazzled heads above water. In academia, relax for 10 seconds and you’re failing eight classes, even when you’re only taking five. In the same vein, parents wade into uncharted waters by relinquishing command of the family ship.

image005
The irony isn’t lost that after 18 years of gently rearing our kids, they leave as soon as the going gets  interesting. As my beloved son’s world expands, so does his mind. I’m a mother; this is my circus, these are my monkeys. But I understand, at least for now, the greatest proof of love is letting go.

JOIN THE SISTERHOOD. Subscribe today! 

Join the discussion

  1. ken maclean

    I was good until I read this! And, the immature forever comment resonates with me.

  2. Bonnie

    This is so true! While it is so very hard to let them go, it is also so rewarding to see our children become such wonderful people. He’ll be home before you know it! ❤️

    • Bab and RossMaclean

      Great pictures of a great Mom and a great first born grand son.Brennan will be missed but he makes good choices.
      Babs and K.

  3. Dawn Pighin

    Very well said Valerie 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let's Be Friends!

Good things come to those who subscribe.

 

Join the sisterhood for some real and relatable laughs!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

x