When Does it Get Easier?

mind

Just when does it get easier, letting your children go?

My son has gone to Beaver camp and the time is going so slow.

I walked past his empty room last night and my heart gave a little jolt,

Then I lay awake and worried that if he’s cold it will be all my fault.

I started wondering if I’d packed the right stuff and will he get any sleep?

And thinking that when I see him later will it embarrass him if I weep?

I’ll have to give myself a good talking to, when to secondary school he goes,

And not lie in wait around corners to sort out any bullies or foes.

What will I do when he turns seventeen and wants to learn how to drive?

I’ll have to resist the urge to follow him or race ahead to watch him arrive.

I MUST NOT lie on the back seat of his car, using a blanket as my cover,

If he’s getting ‘friendly’ with a girl she may not take kindly to discovering his mother.

And what about when he wants to go out with the lads at weekends on the lash?

I’ll be watching from one end of the bar, disguised in glasses and fake moustache.

I dread the time that is bound to come, when some girl breaks his heart.

I’ll want to stun her with a Taser gun or take her out with a poisoned dart.

I’m never going to come to terms with him jetting off to some exotic place.

I’ll be nagging about the importance of sun cream and hiding out in his suitcase.

He’ll be about to get down and dirty with a buxom holiday rep by the name of ‘Bex’

And I’ll pop up with a condom at the end of his bed and remind him of our talks of safe sex.

Heaven help him when he meets ‘The One’ and introduces her to Mum and Dad;

I’ll try not to tie her to a chair and ask her how many sexual partners she’s had.

Or discover if she has a criminal past by shining a torch in her pretty eyes,

I’ll be discreet about my background check and the detector to reveal any lies.

I know that it’s my son’s life and he must lead it any way he chooses,

That my job is to support him and soothe literal and emotional bruises.

I want what any parent wants, for my children to be happy and content,

To be a shoulder for them to cry on, an outlet for their anger to vent.

The rational part of my brain tells me such and I know that it speaks sense,

It’s just that my heart that loves him so damn much leaps automatically to his defence.

I can’t help wanting to fight his battles and stop him from getting sad or hurt,

Each day it becomes more complex than picking him up and brushing off the dirt.

But I’ll vow to try my hardest, to be reasonable and keep myself in check,

To smile, put on my make-up and pretend that I’m not an emotional wreck.

Being a parent is the hardest thing of all to do and to our limits we all get tested.

So I’m going to measure my own success if they reach adulthood and I’ve not been arrested πŸ˜‰

Crazy With Twins
Prose for Thought


Weekend Blog Hop

41 Comments

  1. Great poem – funny but very poignant. So hard letting them go isn’t it? Each little stage is another milestone. My boy goes off to cub camp for two nights next weekend – I will miss him terribly πŸ™

    • Thank you. Yes, and very, very scary. I know but it’s worth it when they come home so enthusiastic and having learnt loads of new things, which is how my boy is today (yesterday he was so tired he could barely string a sentence together!) πŸ˜‰

  2. This is so amazing! You’ve put parenting into prose perfectly. Sharing!

  3. That’s a really lovely post, made me smile πŸ™‚ #MagicMoments

  4. I love this! Exactly how I feel about my sons!

  5. It’s not until we become parents ourselves that we realise what a tough job they went through… this post goes to serve that point perfectly. I really enjoyed this…

    • Definitely; I feel sorry for my mum especially, when I used to forget to ring to say I’d be late. I didn’t realise what I put her through until I had my own kids. I think it’s called karma… Thanks for your comments πŸ™‚

  6. Amazing poem, letting go is never easy but must be done. You write so well.

  7. Brilliant, I love this. I feel the same way about my boys!

  8. I love this poem honey its fantastic!!

    thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x

  9. Absolutely fabulous post. I think every parent can relate to this 100%!

    Thank you for linking up with The Weekend Blog Hop

    Laura x x x

  10. I have a post just like this in my drafts waiting to be finished. I’ve got to start thinking about Universities – eek.

    Brillantally written.

    • SO scary; my friend is in the same position, dreading letting her daughter go to live miles away from home. On the plus side, though, she’ll be a twenty minute drive from us so we all feel better about that πŸ˜‰ Let me know when you’ve written your post, I’ll have a read and we can be terrified together. Thanks for your comments x

  11. You are so one of my favourite writers and I blinkin’ love this poem. I am so the same. I am forever wanting to call to check on Lucas and my brothers really take the mick. They’ve told me that when he’s 16, I won’t be able to phone the headteacher to check he’s eaten his lunch, is playing with his friends and that he ‘looks happy’!!!!!!

  12. Lovely poem about growing up and letting them go!

  13. I love the poem and the sentiment behind it. My eldest had her first ever Beaver’s camp earlier this year. It was the first time she had stayed anywhere that wasn’t family. She had a ball, I had a lump in my throat the whole time.

  14. So much to think about! My eldest hasn’t even started school yet… You amaze me with your creativity and wit once again! Just popping over from #PoCoLo to say hi!

  15. I don’t quite know what else to day except – ASOLUTELY AND UTTERLY BRILLIANT! I love this πŸ™‚ Thank you for linking to Prose for Thought and PoCoLo x

  16. This is great. I love this. Reminds us that as parents – we will always worry, but sometimes we have to let them get on with it. Thanks for linking up to Wednesday Words. I have a badge too – it should be at the bottom of each post. xx

    • Thank you hun, I know, scary but necessary. Welcome; your badge is permanently at the bottom of my landing page with my other favourite linky badges but I’ll make sure to add it to individual posts too xx

    • Thank you hun; I know, scary but necessary. You’re welcome; your badge is permanently displayed at the bottom of my landing page with my other favourite linky badges but I’ll make sure I add it to individual posts, too xx

  17. hi
    My son got married a few weeks ago to a wonderful young girl. i was fine until this weekend – realising that he doesnt need me as much

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