I’m going to be a parent until I die.

I realized this not too long ago, when my continuous attempts to stop worrying about my children brought no results. It’s not like I have nothing going on in my life. I do.

But there are days or nights when I suddenly wake up, knowing instinctively I need to make that call to either one of my grown-up kids.

A sniffling voice on the other end confirms that I did the right thing by calling.

“Aw mom, how did you know I was sick today?” my adult daughter asks me in a small kiddy voice. (Yes, really, a small kiddy voice.)

My heart melting, I simply say “I’m your mom. I just knew.”

I’m rewarded with a heartfelt “Love you mom.”

Then, try as I might, I can’t resist pitching across a quick home remedy. But she brushes off my concern with “I’m ok mom. Don’t worry so much. It’s just a cold.”

This time it’s the adult voice speaking. But she has allowed me a momentary flashback into her childhood and I’m happy. For the moment.

When my daughters grew up and left the house, the city and then the country Oman (in the Middle East) where we still live as expatriates, I thought my duties as a parent had ended. How wrong I was. I now realize I could never stop being a parent even if I tried.

My children and I are now in three different continents, but no matter how far they are, there is always this deep-rooted need within me to know they are safe. Then this niggling voice in my head keeps repeating ‘let go, let go, let go’ like an old record stuck on a scratchy groove.

Over the years, I have listened to this voice and conditioned myself to let go, bit by little bit, but I just cannot let go completely.

This need to hold on to them, to worry about their safety and most importantly to always be there for them will always make me a parent – not a perfect parent (I can never be that) but a constantly learning one.

So yes, for me ‘letting go’ has never meant ‘stop caring.’ My nest may be empty, but my heart is not. [Read more…]

If you’ve been a happy traveler most of your adult life, having children can throw a bit of a complication into the mix. It isn’t so easy to pack a suitcase or backpack and head off at a moment’s notice when you have little ones to think about. We always hear that babies and toddlers thrive on routine, so how can you square that with a life of travel and adventure?

Contrary to popular belief, you can see the world with a child or two in tow. Nowadays, many families explore exotic destinations or even live on the road with their children. As a parenting instructor and mother who has lived and traveled abroad for the last ten years, I know that travelling and parenting are perfectly compatible. Here’s how you can do it, too.

First of all, it’s important to recognize that there is something that your child thrives on much more than routine, and that’s their connection to you.

With the scenery constantly changing, you are your child’s constant. Carrying them in a sling or backpack when they’re little can help them feel secure and safe, where all around them sights and sounds are changing. It also helps them to be adaptable falling asleep wherever and whenever you are.

[Read more…]