I am a worrier. I think I was a worrier before I became a mom, but I definitely know that motherhood has fueled and inspired my ability to worry and I have taken it to great heights and proportions. I keep hoping that the older my kids get, the less I will worry. And, while I’ve developed some coping mechanisms for living with the worry and concern, I’m finding that the further they go out into the world, the more I actually DO worry about them!
I was talking with a friend recently who has small, preschool-age children and she was complaining that they are always around–always “under foot.” I told her to enjoy it while she can because before too long, the day comes when you WISH those kids were under foot so you would know where they are and what they are up to! My older teens seem to think that since they are fine, I should just be able to let go and trust that they will be able to move around in the world with ease and safety. You and I know that is definitely NOT the case. They have that veil of indestructibility that the universe gives teenagers (and I’m not exactly sure why) and I have that well-earned knowledge that anything could happen at any time. They wander…and I worry.
I remember fussing on the first day of preschool and kindergarten; each time one of them went to a sleepover, party, or summer camp; watching as they had to stand in the goal as goalkeeper in a soccer game; standing in the back of the gym while they performed in a talent show or ran for student government–I worry not just about their safety every time they get sick or hurt–but about their self-esteem, psyche, and mental health. While they say they are ready for me to “chill”–I’m wondering if the day will come when I will actually be able to let go, trust, and not worry so much!
Also: Do You Worry About What Other People Think?
Maybe We Shouldn’t Worry So Much About How Kids Respond