5 Helpful Guidelines for Letting
Go of Your 18 Year Old
If you really want to make an impact on
your 18 year old at this age you need to
give them some freedom. That is, if they
are showing that they are reasonably
responsible. How you would like them to
feel when they leave home? Frustrated
and running or excited and
anticipating? If you need to set some
boundaries then so be it, but make them
reasonable for a young adult, not for a
teenager.
Don’t have unrealistic expectations.
Although they are old enough to make
most of their own decisions, their
maturity level is going to look very young
to us. Remember, they are still learning
and growing and bound to make
mistakes. We still make mistakes don’t
we?
Make it easy for them to come to you
with questions. It’s all a matter of the
heart don’t you think? Do you want to
be the “know it all” and control your 18
year old. Or do you want them to be
able to come to you and ask a question,
knowing that you will help them navigate
this thing called life with respect for who
they are as a person.
Don’t dwell on all of your past mistakes!
There is no parent in the world that
couldn’t go back and change a few
things. We all make mistakes. Let it go!
In the same breath, don’t dwell on all of
your children’s past mistakes either.
God is bigger! In my opinion this age is
the HARDEST! It’s a time when
everything you’ve taught your child is put
to the test. It is also the time when they
are free as birds to make any and every
decision that is contrary to what you
taught and trained them. Oh and they
will…even if it’s a small decision! Just
remember that God is bigger! He is
bigger than anything that we could
possibly make up in our heads! Don’t let
your fear of the boogie man be perceived
as a lack of confidence and faith in
your child. They need you behind them
100%.
It is scary to let go of our kids, but we MUST
do it with joy, trust, honor and a whole lot
of faith! You are not alone Mom of an 18
year old! They will survive and so will you…
and someday a parent will ask YOU the very
same questions. You know they will.
Go of Your 18 Year Old
If you really want to make an impact on
your 18 year old at this age you need to
give them some freedom. That is, if they
are showing that they are reasonably
responsible. How you would like them to
feel when they leave home? Frustrated
and running or excited and
anticipating? If you need to set some
boundaries then so be it, but make them
reasonable for a young adult, not for a
teenager.
Don’t have unrealistic expectations.
Although they are old enough to make
most of their own decisions, their
maturity level is going to look very young
to us. Remember, they are still learning
and growing and bound to make
mistakes. We still make mistakes don’t
we?
Make it easy for them to come to you
with questions. It’s all a matter of the
heart don’t you think? Do you want to
be the “know it all” and control your 18
year old. Or do you want them to be
able to come to you and ask a question,
knowing that you will help them navigate
this thing called life with respect for who
they are as a person.
Don’t dwell on all of your past mistakes!
There is no parent in the world that
couldn’t go back and change a few
things. We all make mistakes. Let it go!
In the same breath, don’t dwell on all of
your children’s past mistakes either.
God is bigger! In my opinion this age is
the HARDEST! It’s a time when
everything you’ve taught your child is put
to the test. It is also the time when they
are free as birds to make any and every
decision that is contrary to what you
taught and trained them. Oh and they
will…even if it’s a small decision! Just
remember that God is bigger! He is
bigger than anything that we could
possibly make up in our heads! Don’t let
your fear of the boogie man be perceived
as a lack of confidence and faith in
your child. They need you behind them
100%.
It is scary to let go of our kids, but we MUST
do it with joy, trust, honor and a whole lot
of faith! You are not alone Mom of an 18
year old! They will survive and so will you…
and someday a parent will ask YOU the very
same questions. You know they will.
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