Viewpoint by Sandy Hill/reporter

No matter how prepared we think we may be for that first child to leave home, we never really are completely.

There’s something about that magical age of 18 that makes the youngest of adults yearn for more independence and less control from parents.

When you’ve spent the past 18 years caring for a child physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially, it’s not easy to let that go.

The transition to adulthood can be a rocky road if your child is not prepared. But if you’ve taken the time to prepare your children, instilling in them the value of good moral character, trustworthiness and good life choices, the letting-go process becomes a little easier.

Our children are not always going to make the best choices or necessarily the choices we would like to see them make. But every experience is valuable and can impart knowledge.

When bad things happen to your child, do your best to turn it into a teachable moment. We all need those, don’t we?

The more I know, the more confident I become and the more of an impact I can have on the world around me. The more I know, the better prepared I am to share knowledge with my own children. Education is a wonderful thing.

Having confidence that my child has entered her adult years with a good foundation, I can breathe a little easier at night. I know that I no longer have the influence I did before, but that I’ve done everything within my power to give her a good start in life.

Now it’s up to her to go out there and put her best foot forward, to be a responsible and productive member of society and a trustworthy and compassionate person.

My hope and prayer for her is that she will take full advantage of the opportunity that is before her. I want her to learn everything she can, not only about her future career but about life in general. I want her to gain truth, knowledge and life experiences that she can someday pass on to her own family that will impact the next generation for years to come.