Newly Released Parents.

Well it's been awhile so here we go.  My youngest is about to leave home.  My husband and I are soon to be on our own.  Alone, together, without the guidance of our children.  They are afraid for us.  They are convinced we will either die from some careless accident or suffer ill health without them.  WE are sad to have my son leaving us, but we have plans.  We have plans without them.  WE were so broken up about it, we booked a cruise and plan on buying a Harley.  We plan on riding all kinds of places, Grand Canyon,  Yellow Stone, all kinds of places.  I think this shocked the kids.  They expected us to sit around a grow old and feeble.  My daughter worries about us being unsupervised.  She feels we will die of boredom.  but when we shows signs of life, they get so upset with us.
      The other day, we were all at Wallymart.  We were perusing the isles with no real plan.   My husband was leading the way.  He is good these kinds of trips.  No plan, no direction.  He stops in front of the KY display with all kinds of products.  I stop to see what he is looking at.  WE turn to see the back of our daughter running away.  My son has exited the situation so quickly, we didn't see where he went.  I did hear someone groan "Oh God!".  Might have been him, not sure though.   Apparently we aren't supposed to learn new things either.
       After years of worrying about kids, teaching kids, and fighting with kids; we are ready to be empty nesters.  We prefer the title of  "newly released parents".    You see, the teen years was  a kind of probationary period for us.  They left us alone for short periods of time to see if we could take care of ourselves.  They added to our responsibilities (extra car insurance, later curfews resulting in later bedtimes for us) to see how we handled it.  They allowed us to make our own dietary decisions (stopped coming home for dinner).  Seems we passed cause they are comfortable leaving now.  My daughter still calls everyday to make we are ok.  My son has far more confidence in us.  He said he might visit in a couple of months.
      So when we exhibit behavior contrary to what they expect, they get upset with us.  The more they worry, the more we act out.  It's great!