When our kids start growing up- what about us?

A

Yesterday was such a day, off he went with a friend to a skate park for the afternoon and there was I left to do what I wanted to do. My predicament? What did I want to do? After so long being unable to please myself I find myself in a strange transitionary position. Playgrounds, soft play, petting zoos all seemed a little inappropriate to venture to by myself so I did what I don’t usually get to enjoy with my wheel-loving son and that is walk. It was a beautiful, Autumn afternoon so I indulged myself in a six-mile, round trip (very hilly) walk to a nearby village. It was glorious, there was no-one saying: “Are we nearly there yet?” or “How much longer?” The birds sang, the river gurgled, I heard my own thoughts and I had a lovely time.

This is a new era to navigate. There is the time in every parent’s life when the children are not as dependent as they previously had been, the recurring question is: “what is the point of me?” I guess we could spend our time lamenting the loss or we can take on this transition period and treat it as the time when we re-connect with ourselves and find out who we are again.

It certainly reminded me of how much I like a good walk…. although today I feel like I am paying the price of marching up and down those hills, my legs are killing me!