To My Child Off to College: 18 Years of Parenting Was a Gift, Not a Sacrifice

(Inside: To my child off to college, it turns out that these 18 years of parenting you were not a sacrifice at all. They were a privilege and gift.)

To My Child Off to College,

These 18 years,
they’ve been my privilege.

Every one of them has been a gift to me.

I loved getting to hold you. I pulled you in from the first moment you were set on my chest, tiny legs balled up, to big squeezes before you stepped on the kindergarten bus, to hugs of relief when as a new driver you safely pulled into the garage

Holding you throughout the years was a gift to me.

I loved getting to listen. I leaned into the thousand stories of Legos and superheroes and play you expressed with the animation and joy of a happy little boy, to stories of the middle school class clown antics erupting the teacher in laughter, to your heartfelt college entrance essay describing your main passion and how you reached that goal.

Listening to you unpack your thoughts through your childhood stages was a gift to me.

I loved getting to be there daily for the ordinary. I gobbled up the have-a-good-day and I-love-you greetings, to discussions over where everyone needs to be with which uniform, to a million dinners around the table that fed my heart more than my belly.

Being around for the ins and outs of daily life was a gift to me.

I loved watching you grow. I soaked in the 8-inch middle school growth spurt that kept us hunting for another pair of long-enough pants, to the confidence gained after your hard work moved you up a team, to see your faith become anchored in God who says you are fearfully and wonderfully made and he’s moving in your life.

Witnessing your becoming has been a gift to me.

I loved getting to be the one you went through the hard with. I prayed for you over lunch-table-type disappointments, to that top-team-not-made stealing the air from your lungs for weeks, to feeling lost and unsure moments.

Pushing through the hard as part of your inner circle was a gift to me

My just-launched-baby-adult, please know…

All the sacrifices,
the sleepless nights,
the busy schedule,
the worrying,
the perseverance as we all figured it out,
every single moment was my privilege.

This mom role was and will always be my honor, a gift to me

Now, it’s your turn to fly: try new things, meet people, put yourself out there, work hard, fail, and get back up. Strap in for this roller coaster ride knowing your mom has always and will continue to find any time spent with you an absolute honor.

I’ve prayed for you, cheered for you, and been your safe place to land for 18 years. I’ll continue to do that as you launch and beyond. Being on your side is the soundtrack of a mom’s heart, a privilege I’ll get to carry forever.

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