Parenting: The Hardest Job, The Greatest Honor

The last first day of school. A grin from the kid who made me a mom. As he steps into his senior year, I’m reminded that parenting is a job where the reward is watching them take flight.

Parenting.

By far, the toughest job.

In the early days, you give these little humans everything. They’re exhausting and make you question what you were thinking. Then they flash a grin, and suddenly your heart leaps.

A personality emerges. They run faster. They get louder. And before you know it, sarcasm is part of their everyday vocabulary.

They start facing ups and downs that are often hard to comprehend, especially as they navigate a world that looks nothing like the one we grew up in.

As a mom of a high school senior, I’m not sure how I feel about this latest milestone. The one who made me a mom is moving through a series of “lasts.” His last first day of school photo, for one.

He’s indulged me in recent years—never needed much prodding—because that’s just who he is. He’s kind. He’s thoughtful. He donates to causes he believes in. His love of dinosaurs wasn’t a phase. He’s doubled down with a love of world history to round out his ever-expanding knowledge.

Yes, parenting is hard. But if you do it right, they take off on their own journey. And somehow, that’s the reward and the heartbreak all at once.

Here’s to being present in this final year of school.
Here’s to helping him step into his next chapter.
And here’s to all the parents out there continuing to show up, no matter the phase their kids are in.

It’s a lifelong job. A tough one. But by far the most rewarding role I’ve had the honor of holding for nearly 18 years.