If we only knew then...
Remember when our children asked our opinions — and took our advice? Better yet, remember when we just told them what to do? That was that — end of discussion: eat your peas, drink your milk, go to bed, wear a jacket, curfew at 11:00, no driving with friends, and don’t talk back. It was all so easy then, wasn’t it? Actually, I bet we all thought it was difficult at the time and it just seems easier in retrospect. As kids grow up, their issues grow accordingly. As they get older, we have to keep reminding ourselves that they aren’t kids anymore. They are adults — at least they are according to the laws governing our nation. However, this doesn’t mean that they act like adults or even think like adults. It certainly doesn’t mean that parents are ready to let go of parenting. When the word “adult” is used as a noun, it means one who has attained maturity or legal age. When used as an adjective, it means fully developed and mature. Even the various definitions of this word are at odd...