Empty nesting

“It is not what you do for your children; it’s what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.” ~Ann Landers

It’s hard to believe that autumn officially starts on Sunday — and the new school year is now in full swing. Whether your kids have just started grade school or flown off to college, your parental routines are inevitably changing with the season.

Today our son is a married man with a family of his own — yet the topic of launching our kids to adulthood remains close to my heart, especially this time of year. I’m reminded of an essay I wrote shortly after I settled into our newly emptied nest. The piece was first published in Metro Parent magazine, and later excerpted and reprinted in Guideposts. To read it online, click here.  ~CL