Just checking in.

[Faith-and-Hope]

Yeah @Teej ..... you don’t think about that when they’re little n cute, right ?? ...... lol 

My biggest did a double degree straight through from high school ..... he’s a non-perfectionist high-achiever .... the others have all struggled with the perfectionist genetics, which causes them to stress, baulk, oppose, stick heads in the sand, and drop balls ..... so they take the long and windy path ..... gaps year /s .... changed minds ..... stop / start ..... but they get there all the same.  It’s just a helluva lot more colourful ..... (and you don’t have to have the perfectionist streak for that to happen, but it certainly helps ..... )

And yes ..... a ways to go yet.

[CheerBear]

I have a feeling you didn't just get a good deal @Teej, but that you've raised them to be great humans 🙂 Imagining the feelings you might have sometimes looking at them doing well ❤

Overseas sounds so far away. I'm struggling with the idea that one will be soon at a school not 3 minutes away haha.

[Faith-and-Hope]

🤗💕 @CheerBear .....

It is hard to let them go ..... but I am satisfied that they are great humans, full of personality, creativity, feistiness in its different forms, with enquiring minds, brave-with-enough-chicken-too, witty and fun.

[Teej]

All those changes are huge @CheerBear at the best of times. I think all those transitions are big but I understand how much bigger they will feel for you because of your situation. Lots of big deep breathing. 

[Teej]

You are right @Faith-and-Hope. It doesn’t matter how you get there. I’m just really grateful that both have jobs already that they love. Now there’s a story of part luck @CheerBear, how he ended up at the company he did. 

[Teej]

@CheerBear Wanting to ask how you are going but have a feeling that this distraction is possibly more helpful. 

[CheerBear]

@Faith-and-Hope I was reading something the other day and it made me think of you. It was about parenting (with tricky challenges like I'm entering the world of now). It was talking about how there is a dive-in-and-charge "rhino" approach, a cuddle, shelter and protect (and inadvertently enable) "kangaroo" approach, and how a great approach is a gentle nudge and encouragement "dolphin" approach. I think you'd be a great dolphin.

@Teej I'm happy for this one of mine who is off to bigger and better things. It's scary but I think they'll be OK. Love hearing about yours.

I'm struggling a bit and it's been a really hard few days. I'm OK enough though and have really enjoyed chatting here this morning 💗

[Faith-and-Hope]

Guess dolphin are kitted out to keep swimming too @CheerBear ..... 😊

Thanks for that.  It’s a special image to carry with me, and a lovely analogy to being there, encouraging but not having to either drive or rescue all the time.

[Teej]

I think @Faith-and-Hope might be a dolphin too @CheerBear. I think I used to be a rhino 🤦‍♀️, pretty sure my kids would back that assessment up but one of the good things I’ve got out of therapy is to learn to be more of a dolphin 😊. 

Sorry things have been been so tough @CheerBear. 

[CheerBear]

I think I am too much of a kangaroo.

I feel a bit sad and blue and am going to head off for a while. Thanks for the check in and chat @Teej and @Faith-and-Hope. Bumping in to you both always feels good. Big ❤ to you both.