Monday Musings – Epiphanies of a Young Adult

 

Parenting doesn’t end - it evolves. I used to carry my son, now he carries himself. My son found out that having his own place comes with, um…responsibilities.

My son called me the other day and said, “Ma, something is wrong with my house; I left a pizza box and a glass on the table when I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning they were still there. There was no magic fairly like at your house?”

There was a giggle in my voice when I said, “thank you for finally understanding. I was growing weary, cleaning and straightening things behind you.”

I let my son in on a few secrets about having his own place, here they are:

1.      The dishwasher is still not self-loading.

2.      Toilet paper doesn’t magically appear – someone has to buy it, that is ow you.

3.      Groceries vanish quickly – you don’t have to eat everything in one day.

4.      The trash doesn’t take itself out – it just sits there… judging you.

5.      Cooking for one – somehow creates enough dirty dishes for a family of six.

After chatting with my son, I came up with a list of epiphanies young adults stumble upon as they’re figuring out life. Here’s the list:

1.      Adulthood doesn’t come with a manual – you just improvise and Google a lot.

2.     Time is more valuable than money – my son was reminded of this on an occasion where he went in person to apply for a job. He showed up to the location as instructed, the parking lot was empty except for a couple of cars. As he entered the industrial type building, he was met with empty hallways and had to determine which door to approach.

He selected a door, pressed a buzzer, and someone appeared with a clipboard and a form for him to complete. The staff person left, then returned after my son completed the form. She told my son, “Thank you, we’ll send you an email.”

My son left the office with unanswered questions – what are the hours, starting rate of pay?  Where is the work site location? He called me after his turn of events and said, “That was a dummy mission (a wild goose chase); I got nowhere.”

 

3.      Comparison steals your joy – your timeline doesn’t have to match anyone else’s.

4.      Debt is real – and it grows faster than you think.

5.      Saying “no” is powerful – and doesn’t require an explanation – you will have to say no to some things to accomplish what you want to get done.

6.      Success isn’t linear – detours are part of the journey.

7.      You are responsible for your own happiness – no partner, job, or paycheck can do that for you.

8.      Asking for help isn’t weakness – it’s strength.

9.      Joy can be found in small ordinary moments, not just the big milestones.

10. Your inner critic is often lying – you’re more capable than you think.

Parenting doesn’t end – it evolves. What parenting episodes have you experienced lately – with your child, or caring for your parent? Remember to seek to uncover humor in a difficult situation.