LJI Second Chance- Blood Harmony

[lawchicky]

My eldest child turned 14 yesterday. She's my only daughter, and she's taught me so much about parenting and about love. We don't always see eye to eye though, and I didn't imagine our relationship would look the way it does when she was first born. I guess I assumed that Olivia and I would have the same kind of relationship as my mother and I

Comments

[adoptedwriter]

Awwww. I love this. I feel the same way about my girls.

[karmasoup]

It sounds like in many respects, she is already ahead of the game. Independence is such an important factor in being able to get oneself through this life; you've done her an incredible service in nurturing that, even if it came naturally to her, you've given her a safe environment in which to explore and cultivate it. Great job, Mama! <3

[tonithegreat]

Ah, I feel you on this. I only have two kids: twin daughters. They’re eleven now and firmly independent tweens: each manifesting different parts of feelings that I remember from around that age in their own ways. When they leave, I’ll go from two kids at home to zero kids at home. It will be craziness. But that independence: so important. I keep feeling so bad for everyone who’s quaran-working-from-home with little kids. My girls and I butt heads plenty, but I can trust them to work up their own daily schedules with some guidance. This would be soooooo much harder if I couldn’t.

[lawchicky]

You have that right. My other kids are 11, 9 and 4. Plus I watch my niece on weekdays so my sister and brother in law can work- she’s 18 months.. and we have a new puppy.
I am glad we are home and safe and healthy but good lord is it hard to keep them all under control especially when I’m working sporadically and my husband is working full time all from home!

[halfshellvenus]

That independence is valuable to a child later on, but it can wreak havoc on the parents' hearstrings as they pull away.

College was the hardest stage of parenthood for both of us. We were in mourning for most of that first year, and to some degree, still are.

[rayaso]

Olivia sounds like a fine young woman who has the tools to live life away from home. It will be hard on you, but that independence and self-sufficiency is necessary, and means you have done a good job.