08/09/2025
✨ “The suitcase is being packed… but my heart feels anything but ready.” ✨
As parents, we spend years preparing our young people for this moment — encouraging independence, nudging them to grow, reminding them of their potential.
Then suddenly, the day comes when their bedroom is piled with clothes, boxes and half-packed suitcases.
They’re excited, nervous, and stepping into their own adulthood.
We’re proud, anxious about how they will get on… but we also feel the ache of loss.
The loss of everyday routines.
The sound of their laughter drifting down the hallway.
The comfort of knowing they were just in the next room, even when they do crawl home in the early hours of the morning!
Fighting for the bathroom every morning đźšż
Music blasting through the walls 🎶
Laundry mysteriously multiplying across the floor 🧺
It’s okay to admit that you need time to adjust too.
This isn’t only their milestone — it’s yours too.
✅ Acknowledge your feelings – pride, sadness, relief, even frustration. They’re all normal and natural.
✅ Talk openly – share honestly with your young person, partner, or a friend. Don’t bottle it up.
✅ Keep some routines – whether it’s Sunday calls, shared meals when they visit, or texts to check in.
✅ Stay connected, not controlling – let them grow while reminding them you’re there.
✅ Rediscover your own space – use the quieter house to focus on hobbies, friendships, or simply rest.
✅ Celebrate the wins – for them and for you. Every step into adulthood is a shared achievement.
✅ Seek support if needed – grief is about change, and talking it through can help you adjust.
🌿 Change always carries a mixture of endings and beginnings — and when we speak about it openly, it makes space for both love and growth.
