Apron strings

My son is in Washington DC with his class on a school trip. When it was offered back in the fall, the trip was billed as being not only an educational opportunity, but a way for the students to grow in independence and build their confidence. My husband and I bought into it and slapped down the deposit. What parent doesn't want his or her child to be independent and confident?

So now our son (all of 13 years of age) is on the other side of the continent without us. It occurred to me only now while he's gone that the trip is not just for the children. There is a hidden benefit to taking our adolescent children and sending them far away for spring break. Mommy and Daddy are learning to be independent and building confidence. We are learning to be independent of our child whom we have depended on as a source of pride, self-worth and, at times, amusement. We are becoming confident that not only will our son be able to function in the world without us at his side, but that we will be able to function without him. I wrote that last sentence and stared at it for a long time. I'm not sure I ever want to be that confident.

While our children may cut the apron strings that tie themselves to us, we as parents can never, ever do the same to them.