emotional parts of parenting comes when children begin stepping beyond the identity of being someone’s son or daughter.
They become themselves.
Their tastes change. Their opinions become stronger. They find music, fashion, hobbies, friendships, and causes that matter to them.
Sometimes those interests reflect their parents.
Sometimes they do not.
A healthy family relationship requires space for both possibilities.
As her children have grown older, Lopez has experienced a transition familiar to parents everywhere: learning to support increasing independence while remaining available as a source of stability.
It can be bittersweet.
When children are very young, parents are involved in nearly every aspect of their lives. Over time, that changes.
Eventually, children begin solving problems independently. They spend more time with friends. They develop private worlds and personal ambitions.
A parent who once held a child’s hand through almost everything must gradually learn when to hold on and when to
