My good friend, Jane Ann Smith, who also has six children and is about ten years ahead of me in life’s journey, has given me lots of good advice over the years. Now in our empty nest years, I continue to learn from her.

Last year as Susan and I were writing our empty nest book, I emailed her for her thoughts on what she was learning in the empty nest. Her response was well thought out and as always very wise. 

She wrote, “I had just survived a big conflict with one of my children and a friend told me that I needed to learn to become smaller in my family. I had become “big” in my family because my doctor husband had been gone a lot and my six children needed me. I had become a controller without even knowing when it happened.”

“Almost 45 years later, with all the children grown, I was still way too big in their lives. They still expected me to treat the wounds and fix broken things, and when I couldn’t, some of them resented it and me. And I couldn’t imagine not being a part of their lives.”

“As I prayed about how to do this “becoming smaller”, God showed me that I didn’t need to talk so much. This may sound simple, but it wasn’t for me. I had always thought it was my duty to express my ideas on whatever subject was on the table and have the last word. Wasn’t I always the one who was older and had superior knowledge and experience?”

“As I’ve been practicing this I’ve learned that I can walk away from a complicated conversation and hardly be missed.  Because I wasn’t a “big player”, I wasn’t crucial to the game and this felt good. I was establishing healthy emotional boundaries for myself rather than allowing myself to be drawn into the fray. Another thing I’m learning is that as I become smaller, my husband is becoming bigger, as he should. For all the years I was in control, he had often given up trying and just let me be the most important person in the children’s lives.”

“I realized that I had desperately wanted my children to “see” all that I had done and was doing for them. I wanted them to somehow affirm that I had done a good job and how could they if I stopped? I have much left to learn but I believe I am setting a better example now to my children of how to "bow out gracefully" as one day they will have to allow their children to emerge when they become adults.”

These words from my friend were so good for me to hear when she sent them and they still are today. I so understand her desire for her kids to need her and to affirm her good work in their lives, and yet that is not something we can earn anymore.

As Dennis and I watch our children struggle with sibling relationships as adults, have surprisingly different opinions on how they “should” raise their children, and try to manage their own families and extended families, we too are learning we must become small. We cannot fix their relational issues. We can give advice when asked, but not unless we are asked. They are adults and have to figure this out. It’s hard to step back, but Jane Anne is right, it’s much healthier and in the long run much easier when we let go.