The role we as parents play with our adult children doesn’t come with a new playbook as they enter adulthood. I have been learning how to parent in this area for a couple of years now.
All of my children are young adults in their mid-twenties. My role has changed from being their primary voice of influence to being a sounding board to their own thoughts and opinions. I have come to recognize I am one of many influences they have in their lives. Each of them has own way of doing things, their own way of making sense of the world and what they value.
As a parent I have learned to listen more and speak less.
I have cherished the moments when they have turned to me for advice, but also don’t take offense when they seek the advice from others in their life. I am still learning to give them space and allow them time to figure things out on their own. As parents we must allow them to make mistakes, but remind them we are there to lift them up when they fall. My role is to be their biggest cheerleader and encourage them. As parents we may not always agree with their choices, but we have to allow them to live them and learn from them. We are to be a sounding board to their thoughts and ideas. We have to respect their decisions and support their efforts.
If you are a parent to more than one child we can all agree their needs are different as well. I recognize who they are and what they need from me. Our role of being a parent doesn’t stop when they become adults, but rather there is a transition to what they need from us. As a mom of four I am still learning each day. My biggest advice is to love your children for who they are. And trust that you have done your part to raise them to be the best that they can be.
We have to trust that we have instilled the values and morals in them. We have to trust we have equipped them to lead a successful life.
