We have all heard it as new moms:

“Time goes by so quickly”

“They grow up so fast!”

“Enjoy them while they are young!”

Well as someone who is now creeping closer and closer to that edge, the edge we push them off to test their wings and go forth into the world, the time when the majority of our job, our influence, our opportunity to mold them into the people we hope they become...is DONE...wow...it truly is AMAZING!

I am now about 18 months away from my first born going off to college/university and I have complete confidence that she will be ready, ready to embrace the challenges, adventures and new experiences that that will bring her. I know this because I can clearly see how the opportunities we have provided to her through sports and school to travel, meet new people, gain leadership skills, gain confidence & most importantly, gain an understanding of her limitations and fears in order to push past them...have all been leading her to this.

How do I know she will be successful? How can I have this confidence in her? Because I can clearly see that she has learned how to ‘figure it out’. If she doesn’t know how or what or when or ‘whatever’...she knows she has the ability to learn how, who, what she needs to make it happen. This is the skill that will take her far. This is the skill that we as parents have tried to foster. Not knowing how to do something is not an excuse. Figure it out. Take chances, evaluate how that worked out for you, readjust and try again. Fail and fail often because that’s how you move ahead.

So if you have little ones, I encourage you to let them take risks. Take a step back as often as you can and let them make decisions/choices for themselves. Let them learn to trust themselves and their decisions. And most importantly, foster their belief in them-self that they can ‘figure it out’.

It may be the most important life skill they develop.

xoxo