The almost adults

We are born

We grow

We die

This is life

These three tenants are not in our control

As a parent

I struggle hard

To maximise the life of my children

To provide opportunites

Learnings, experiences

To provide roll models

Examples and positives

To show it is possible to get through the negatives

It’s hard work this gig

And the parents out there know it

We get them to where they want to be independant

Where they know it all

Where they mumble to us

But just when we want to drop the ball

To relax

We can’t

The almost adults need us more.

Life is no longer so easy for them

They are in an environment so artifical

Where hidden social rules exist at every turn

And no one can know them all.

Our job morphs from one of providing

To grow to provide less providing

More guiding.

The independant  young souls

Granted to us

Need to learn how to provide

We need to learn how to guide.

Look after the almost adults entrusted to you

Provide for them, like you have always done

But for the sake of our future

Guide them too.