I don’t mean to always argue with you. Honest, I don’t. I know you think I’m rebellious. I’m not; I’m just trying to be me. The problem is, I don’t know who I am right now. That’s why I wrote you this note.
I can’t tell you this face-to-face because I love you too much and don’t want to hurt your feelings. I can’t bear to see your eyes tear up when I try to tell you how I feel. It makes it harder for me to talk. So I shut down.
I love you, Mom. Oh, I know you can’t tell by the way I act, but I really do.
There comes a time when your teen grows up and moves out. They might be leaving for college, to live with some friends, to get married, or to learn how to manage life on their own. Regardless of the reason parents can strengthen the relationship by preparing them for that day during the teen years.
At a recent speaking engagement I was asked what we did to prepare our teens for life on their own. I had to think about that for a few minutes. I began by reminding the parents that moving out is a normal part of the growing up process. It might be difficult to pack them up and send them on their way, but it will be okay.
That got me thinking, I should share them with you as well. So I put together 7 practical ideas we have used over the years to prepare our children for the day they would move out on their own.
