I am terribly proud that she has such a strong desire to be so self-sufficient, but there are days when controlling her feels like I'm trying to put lipstick on a running horse. I may get the job done, but it's not necessarily all that great looking. There are limits to what she can do and while I may have high expectations of her based on her potential, I don't ever want to step over the line and force her hand. Her recent declaration of independence makes that line so fuzzy I have to lean over and look very carefully. While I would never tell her she can't do something because I don't think she is able, I would tell her she can't do something because it isn't appropriate. My job is to make the line clear to her, if no one else. She's made it abundantly clear that she's her own person, while I'm still trying to make it known that I'm the mom and it's my job to make sure she stays on a straight path. We're both right.
In the end I find myself sitting in the audience while she walks the high wire. I can't help but smile while she waves her hands in the air shouting, "Hey mom, look at me! Look what I can do!" I'm trying not to worry because my net will always be there when she needs it.
