Let Go and Hold On

The quiet trick of these years: loosen your grip a little more every year while making sure they never doubt you are there. Distance and closeness are not opposites. A few ways to stay connected without taking back control:

• Protected one-on-one time — even fifteen real minutes
• A standing offer — call me about anything, anytime
• Curiosity, not control — ask about their plans without steering

Do your grieving on your own time. Their leaving is a real loss, and the ache is valid. But it is yours to carry, not a weight to hand back to a kid who is busy becoming an adult.