Challenge the ‘shoulds’

Grief has been an ever present emotion this past year and a half for our families. Not just in regards to death but also present as we process what we thought life *should* look like for our children. Graduations, high school dances, athletic events, extra curricular activities, classroom structure, learning and teaching methods, first day of school routines, even pick up and drop off protocols. We also grieve for our children in other areas when they make choices we wished had gone another way. Grief is a valid emotion, it must be felt and processed if we plan on moving forward.
But sometimes we cause undue grief by holding fast to what we think life *should* look like for our kids. What if we pushed pause after noticing our thoughts for what should have been and challenged those ideals? How would your relationship with your child change if you decided that the path they are on is exactly the path they need to be on? What is the end goal? Is it perfection here and now or is it growth, self awareness and strength?? Each child is different. There is no one size fits all when it comes to the road map of life. If you find *should* sneaking into your vocabulary, challenge it. And again, if you need help doing that, message me!! I love challenging those thoughts!