From the moment our children are born, we know that one day they will grow up, become adults and as parents we have to let go. In The Joy of Letting Go: Releasing Your Teen into Real Life in the Big World, Vicki Caruana shows us there is joy in letting go and she shows us how we can embrace the changes on the journey. Through her personal experience raising 2 sons, she gives many personal examples that will encourage and help you as your teen moves toward adulthood.
Note: I would like to thank the Litfuse Group for providing me a copy of this book to review. All opinions here are my own. For your convenience, this post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy here.
The Joy of Letting Go has 52 daily (or weekly) devotional readings for moms about raising teens. It’s written in a very personal style which makes it very enjoyable to read. My oldest is 12 years old (turning 13 in just a few weeks). I found the insights and reminders shared by the author Vicki Caruana very helpful.
One of my favorite readings was Day 6, on keeping your mouth shut. As parents from the day our children were born, we feel it’s was our obligation and responsibility to share our knowledge and experience about the world with our children. But as our children get closer to adulthood, we have to start stepping back and letting them grow and make decisions on their own – right or wrong. Finding this balance is hard for parents, but Vicki Caruana gives great advice to help you know the right words to say and when to keep your mouth shut (I need lots of practice here).
As our teens get closer to being adults and being responsible for themselves it’s hard to let them be independent especially if you don’t feel they have reached the right level of maturity. But at the same time, we have to find ways to let our children spread their wings (and make their own mistakes).
Some of my favorite chapters from The Joy of Letting Go are:
- Mother’s Curse
- What’s for Dinner?
- Homework
The Joy of Letting Go will make you smile, make you laugh and nod your head in agreement as you see yourself in this mothering journey. It’s about the surprises and changes that happen to us as moms as our children grow up.
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