The Tightrope Between Holding On and Letting Go

My Baby-Bear Is About to Graduate High School

There is a strange tension in parenting teenagers. For years, your entire job is to hold on tightly. You buckle the car seat. You hold the bike steady. You walk them into school. You monitor, correct, protect, and guide. Then one day, almost without warning, your role begins to reverse. The job becomes learning how to let go without completely letting go.

Next week, my son graduates from high school. Even more dynamic, he’s heading to West Point and into Cadet Basic Training in less than two months. Okay mama-bear… big breath.