It's Time to Stop Babying Your Baby

The school year is almost over

The school year is almost over, but I’m not planning on stopping school for my boys. Sure, there won’t be any homework. But there will be “home” work. You see, my oldest son is already 13. And so far he hasn’t had to do a ton of stuff around the house. Yeah, he tidies his room. Does dishes or recycling some days or mows a lawn here and there. But I haven’t really taught him how to cook a meal. Fold laundry. You know, do the things he will need to know how to do before he leaves home.

Just last week I took my son to pick out a grade 8 graduation suit. The owner showed my son how to tie a tie for the very first time, and it hit me: there is only four short years left to cram in all this “independent” learning. My baby is growing up. Fast. And if I continue to baby my “baby,” he may never learn how to fly.

Parenting expert Mark Gregston in his podcast Parenting Today’s Teens talks about how important it is for teens to learn how to be independent. In his episode “Helping Your Teen Spread Their Wings,”* he gives four tips on how to parent your kids into independence. “Pushing your kids to be independent is risky,” he says, “but the result or the return on the risk is very good when you give a child age-appropriate opportunities to be independent."

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my son living in my basement when he’s 30 years old. No, seriously, I don’t. And as much as it is tempting to baby my “baby” sometimes, it’s time to push him out of the nest and watch him fly.

*For more faith-filled podcasts, check out UCB Canada’s “Hope On Demand” section of its website and start enjoying inspiration and wisdom on a variety of helpful topics.