Letting go of expectations can be a challenge.
When your kids aren’t winning (contrasted to blog #696) it’s as if everything you do or have done has failed. At least it feels that way to me.
Seeing them sad, struggling, disconnected, or challenged in life is hard. The best phrase I’ve ever heard to describe it is “you’re only as happy as your saddest child” – spot on. And it doesn’t change when they get older, in fact, the challenges are bigger and more painful.
As a parent, my children are an extension of me/my heart out in the world. It’s natural to want to protect them as well as celebrate them in all ways.
It’s not easy.
As the journey unfolds, reminding myself we’re all on our own journey and to allow every experience to shape them (and me!) fully while supporting them is the challenge.
May there be more wins and celebrations as we all learn through the journey.