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# Watching My Children Spread their Wings and Soar
- URL: https://www.ourfamilylifestyle.com/children-spread-their-wings/
- Published: 2019-09-19T14:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-15T08:18:23.000Z
- Description: To raise a child who is comfortable enough to leave you means you’ve done your job. They are not ours to keep, but to teach how to soar on their own.
- Author: Staci Salazar
- Tags: Family, Kids, Parenting, Teens

#### This past week our [youngest hit the double digits](https://www.instagram.com/p/B2O4BV3n3LU/). And this next weekend [our oldest](https://www.ourfamilylifestyle.com/cant-believe-daughter-graduating-from-college/) will turn 24\. Our bookends are growing up.

![giving our children the wheel](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/b6/04b60537-dad4-499b-b73c-0551021827f5/content/images/2026/01/giving-our-children-the-wheel.jpg)

## Spread their Wings

Not to mention, our *middle middle* turns 16 in December, just 9 days before our beautiful [granddaughter](https://ourfamilylifestyle.com/her-guardian-angel/) turns one!

[We only have so many days](https://ourfamilylifestyle.com/not-enough-summers/), weeks, and years to pour into our children and I absolutely love the idea of it all.

I’ve always told the kids they have the entire [whole world in their hands](https://ourfamilylifestyle.com/dreams-disneys-sleeping-beauty/). They are given an open book of opportunities as they start out in life.

> ❝We must teach our children to dream with their eyes open.❞   
>  
> *Harry Edwards*

As their mom, I see it as my place in life to help them reach their goals and [achieve those dreams](https://ourfamilylifestyle.com/dont-let-fear-stop-sing/).

*Their dreams.*

I know parents that try to live vicariously through their children; guiding them through every step of their life towards a dream they once had for themselves.

Well, I dreamed of being a pediatrician since I was in kindergarten. Yet, I don’t have even one child out of the five dreaming of being a doctor.

**But that’s okay.**

I love seeing my children spread their wings of independence with the ability to think on their own; even when we disagree on a subject. *Which happens often*.

And yet, at the end of every day, I still love them and they still love me. We have found a harmony even when we agree to disagree.

> ❝To raise a child who is comfortable enough to leave you means you’ve done your job. They are not ours to keep, but to teach how to soar on their own.❞  
>  
> Anonymous

Therefore, giving them the freedom to take the wheel in their own lives seems to be working so far. We've had [two fly the coop](https://ourfamilylifestyle.com/on-being-the-mother-of-the-bride/) already and two more fast on their heels.

I can't say I'm looking forward to an empty nest, but I am looking forward to watching my kids do their thing out in this great big world.