Senior Year, Mom Edition: Letting Go, Holding On, and Everything in Between

Senior year hits different when you're the mom.  It sneaks up on you, one moment you're packing juice boxes and tying shoes, the next you're booking cap and gown photos and filling out college applications wondering how time went so fast.

If you're here, chances are you're riding the roller coaster of "I'm so proud of you" and "Please don't leave me", often in the same day.  Let's talk about what this year feels like, how to survive it, and how to soak up every beautiful (and brutal) second. 

💔 It’s Okay to Feel All the Things!

There's no emotional prep course for senior year.  You might feel joy, anxiety, nostalgia, pride, and even grief.... sometimes all at once!  It's okay.  You're not broken.  You're a mom in the middle of a major transition. 

Give yourself grace.  Cry in the car.  Laugh with your friends- who are also crying their cars.  This isn't about being strong or stoic.  It's about showing up, in all your humanness, for your kid and for yourself.  

🧭 What to Expect This Year

The honest truth is- senior year is a blur.  

Expect:

• The "lasts" to hit you hard-  last first day of school, last home game, last homecoming mum... last everything. 
• Calendar chaos-  from senior photos to college visits to a million deadlines. It al starts before the school year does!
• Unexpected growth- in your teen and yourself. 
• BIG feelings-  theirs and yours.  Be ready for both. 

And expect that you'll handle it imperfectly, beautifully, and together. 

💡 How to Make the Most of It

       1. Be present.  Don't miss the season while planning the send-off. 

       2. Talk honestly.  About fears, hopes, goals- for both of you.

       3. Celebrate milestones, big and small.  They add up to a beautiful finish line. 

       4. TAKE THE PICTURES!  Book the session.  Capture the in-between moments.  You'll treasure them more than you think.  

❤️ You’ve Got This

You've raised a human who's ready to take on the world.  That didn't happen by accident.  Trust that the love, lessons, and late nights will carry them forward, and that they'll carry pieces of you with them wherever they go. 

So here's to all the moms at the start of this hectic, magical senior year. 

You're not alone.  You're doing better than you think.

And yes, it's okay to cry when they walk across that stage... I will too. 

*Comment below-  leave your thoughts, your worries, encouragement for others, we're in this together!