May 22, 2026
Today is the day—our second-born is graduating high school.
I know I sound like all the older moms used to sound when my children were little, but they were right when they said, “Enjoy every second because it goes by fast.” Back then, I smiled politely and thought surely it couldn’t go that fast. But now here I am, saying the exact same thing to young moms myself.
I used to tell myself, If we can just get through this stage, life will get easier.
The sleepless nights, the toddler tantrums, the busy schedules, the teenage years—I thought once we made it through those seasons, parenting would somehow feel lighter.
But the truth is, now I find myself longing for some of those stages that felt so hard at the time.
What nobody really talks about is how difficult it can be to parent adult children.
In many ways, it feels harder than parenting toddlers or even teenagers. Finding the balance between letting go while still being a parent is not easy. It’s our first time parenting adult children, and it’s their first time being adults. We’re all learning together.
They have their own opinions, their own pressures, their own way of doing things, yet they still rely on us in so many ways. We don’t always get it right—honestly, most of the time we probably don’t. And this is where I have to remind myself to give grace not only to them, but also to myself.
The perfectionist in me wants to do everything right.
I want to be the best mother possible. I want to protect my children from hurt and disappointment. I want them to always feel loved, respected, and supported.
But what I’m learning is that carrying all of that pressure isn’t healthy for me—or for them.
Sometimes my need for control creates unnecessary stress for everyone. Allowing my children to make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward—while knowing I will always be here when they need me—is one of the greatest gifts I can give them.
So as we step into this next season, with my son preparing to leave for college, my prayer is simple:
I pray he always knows he is deeply loved and fully supported.
I pray he knows he will always have a safe place to land.
I pray he understands he won’t get everything right—and that’s okay.
But most importantly, I pray he never forgets who he is and where his identity comes from.
He is a child of God.
A son of the Highest King.
And my greatest prayer is that no matter where life takes him, he will hold tightly to his faith and remember whose he is.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12
Unpolished Truth 