The Hardest - But Most Rewarding - Job in the World

I want my children to be independent people who can make wise choices on their own. I want them to be confident people who aren't afraid to be bold and unique. We all want that for our children.
Queenie is rolling right along. I have no worries about just how independent and unique she will be. She's pretty responsible too. She's an all A student and she keeps up with all her work. Her room looks like a teenage girl's room, though, we're working on the mess.
The Flying Monkey has a little way to go, he's young. But he is a responsible little guy at preschool, he knows the drill.
Number One Son I struggle with. He's my baby, I'll be honest. I have a hard time letting him do things on his own. But I have started cutting the apron strings. One thing I did was leave his book report that was due this week completely up to him. He is old enough to know when it is due and what he needs to do to get it done. He didn't do it. And I am kicking myself because I feel like I should have kept bugging him about it. He probably would've done it had I done that. I realize, though, that would not have helped him in the long run.
He will turn it in tomorrow with points taken off for being late, and it will be an awesome report. But it will be late and I hope that will be the kicker for him to realize he has got to step it up.
I am in tears right now as I type this, though.
I know ultimately, this is a lesson he had to learn from his teacher. Not me. But you know, I'm his mom.
Whoever said parenting was easy if you did it right was out of their mind. It's the hardest job in the world, if you're doing it right. If it's easy, you must not be doing it right.
But I wouldn't have any other job. I love my benefits. :)

Mom, Not in Front of My Friends...

So my daughter (hereafter known as Queenie) spent the entire afternoon on the phone with Lucy. I had to ask her to hang up twice so I could use the phone. Then my son (hereafter known as Number One Son) spent his afternoon riding the neighborhood on his bike with Charles, taking a break for dinner, while on the walkie talkie with said friend, out again to ride with said friend.
I followed Number One Son out into the driveway to tell him to watch for cars as it was the afternoon drive time and our neighborhood is used as a cut through. I watched him ride across the street in front of a car (whose driver was thankfully paying attention and driving slowly). I motioned for him to come back and said sternly "Bike Ride Over."
Number One Son pedaled over and said, "Mom, not in front of Charles..."

I get that a lot these days as Number One Son and Queenie struggle to grow up and show me how independent they are, while at the same time struggling because they still need me for so many things. I feel the same way.

Sometimes I wish they could do everything for themselves, man oh man, I would have soooo much more time on my hands! But I know that's not really true! The day my children drive off in that car for the first time, that first date, college, I can't even think about right now, it's just bringing tears to my eyes just imagining it! I'm going to be a basket case.

OK, not in front of Charles, but don't expect me to let go just yet. I'm holding on to all of them (even the precious little one who is hereafter known as The Flying Monkey) until the absolute last moment I can. I'll let them be independent, but I'll be just out of sight, still able to see what they're doing, still able to hear them call for help. And I'll be there sooner than they can imagine.

So I let NOS ride with Charles, but I was posted very inconspicuously on the corner, where I didn't miss a thing. Listening to Queenie talk on the phone, watching NOS ride, The Flying Monkey on my back. (No pun intended)

Always just within reach.