My son wants to become a Physician's Assistant.  I don't . So why am I looking up all the requirements to enter the program?  He's a young adult, he's already doing it on his own. Tell me, do you do this?  Take on your child's responsibilities as if they were you own?

There I was, the other day, surfing the Internet, looking up the best colleges, the prerequisites, the suggested career path, when it dawned on me.  Who actually was embarking on this journey, me or my son?  It's not as if he's 10 years old and in need of a little push. He's a college student, perfectly capable of planning his own future.  His father and I have already given him sound advice when he told us about becoming a PA .

Nonetheless, I took it upon myself to do some research, taking notes along the way, when it hit me.  He didn't need my help.  I realized that what I was trying to do was recreate my old role as Mom, the role that has changed dramatically in the last few years.  I needed to remind myself that if I had done my job right as a mother, he didn't need me to get involved at this point in time.

I closed the browser and let it go, with the understanding that if he ever needs my help, he can come to me anytime, and I will be there for him.  It's his decision to make, not mine.