I just took another baby step towards letting go — our 2 boys (aged 15 and 13) took their very first plane ride bound for the province by themselves (a female cousin was with them but she was also just 15).
For those of you who are still single, you probably cannot empathize with the anxiety that envelops a Mom who has to drop off her “babies” at the airport and pray they get through the check-in, boarding and arrival at their destination without a hitch. But for Mommies like me, it is scary to say the least.
From home to airport, I rattled off a checklist of things and reminders for them:
– Keep your tickets and boarding passes always in your backpacks
– Don’t forget to shut off your cellphones before take-off
– Watch your cellphones and wallets
– Don’t forget to have lunch
– Text me when you enter the departure area, before boarding and upon arrival
– Lastly but most importantly, NO BOMB JOKES!
(see how praning I can be???)
After dropping them off, I killed time in Makati until I heard definite news about whether their flight was going to be on time or not. I phoned them to check if they had gone through X-rays. Followed by another one to see if check-in was a breeze. Then another to check if they had lunch and whether the flight was going to be on time. In one of those mobile calls, our eldest son asked me “Mom, are you worrying?” Was I that obvious?????
Chuck it up to first-time nerves. I must admit I was more on edge than they were. Our youngest son chatted away in the car. Our eldest son was more annoyed at the fact that his yaya packed his ipod earphones in his checked-in luggage and he had nothing to do during the wait at the terminal.
But now that I have heard from them at their cousin’s place in the province, I can breath easy and relax. For sure, it will not always be like this. As there will be more years of their traveling by themselves, I am hoping to get used to it. As for the boys, a successful plane trip on their own has boosted their self-confidence and independence several notches higher. Now isn’t that what we parents wish for our kids too?
We have to learn of letting go. Our kids will have families of their own. What we parents should do is let them live and enjoy life. But of course we will always guide them. We can only suggest but never impose for them to grow. Parenting is such a wonderful thing isn’t it?
Hi Schumey! Yes, you’re so right about the letting go part. It is easier said than done, at least for me. There are just too many dangers in their generation now than there were in ours and I sometimes catch myself trying to protect them from all these. But praying for our children is something I am learning to do….and its power can never be underestimated….