One of the hardest transitions our family had to make did not happen to us while we homeschooled. It was when the children were out of school and at the crossroads time in their lives. It was hard on me, because all I had done for decades was take care of children and homeschool. To not have that responsibility any more left me feeling a little like a fish out of water. It was hard on my children, too, for the same reason, and also, they now had the responsibility to discover from the Lord what His plan was for their lives.
We discovered that God’s plan for our children, each as individuals, may not be the same as His plan for others. It may not even be the same that we as parents originally thought or even that they as children originally thought for themselves. My oldest is married with children and is busy raising her children and making plans to homeschool when the time comes. My middle son was betrothed and beginning community college when his fiance was killed in a traffic accident. This event dramatically changed the course of his life in ways none of us could have realized or anticipated. My youngest has never been betrothed or married, and appears to outsiders looking in, to be in a state of limbo.
I just learned from Dr. S. M. Davis (I love his messages on biblical family relationships) that one of his daughters had to learn to wait patiently for Mr. Right to come into her life, well beyond the age her sisters were married. She wrote a short book about all the things the Lord taught her while she was waiting for her prince to come: How to Stay Happy and Content while Waiting on Prince Charming. (I am looking for a new link … check back again.) I just read it – I thought it was full of wisdom. In fact, I think it is great advice for any young person waiting to hear from the Lord what He wants them to do with their life, not necessarily just for a young woman waiting for her husband. I am certainly going to recommend it for both my children, and perhaps your children will benefit from it also. 🙂
I wonder what life will be like when my youngest, now 12, is graduated. My oldest is 23, not yet married; my 17yo is a junior. I understand about death changing your life in unexpected ways. We lost two children 6 1/2 years ago, and I don't think that reverberations from that will ever stop resonating through our lives. I am more laissez-faire & know that I have to be open to what God has in store, regardless of how different it turns out to be from my own vague ideas.