Trusting God in Transitions of Parenting
Louise Duval
LPC, LAC, AADC
6/1/2026
This time of the year is a time of transition for so many of us parents. I am especially feeling it this year. I am the mother of a high school graduate and of a student who has now completed elementary school and is entering middle school! It is wild to see the child you taught to walk walk across the graduation stage, and to recognize the child who held your hand to walk into first grade, will probably walk alone into the doors of the middle school. It is definitely bittersweet, and all emotions are okay.
As I have been thinking about this whole process for both of my children, I am reminded that children are given to us by God. “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.” (Psalm 127:3). However, they do not belong to us, they belong to God and God chose us to be parents to them and has given us the privilege to love them, take care of them, raise them, teach them, and help them become the people God wants them to be because the next verse says, “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” Our job as parents is to get our children ready to go out into the world and make a difference for Christ, and to do that, we must let go. The arrow doesn’t fly if you hold onto it!
Another thing that God is showing me is that He has been teaching me to let go and trust Him a little more all along the way. He has been preparing both of us. Even from the time your baby was born, they begin to learn to become independent, and we teach them and praise them for it. Learning to crawl, learning to walk, learning to talk, learning to read and write, starting school, making friends, getting involved in sports or activities on their own, and learning to drive. With each step and everything they learn, they become more independent, and we have to let go a little more and learn to trust God with them. We see God is with them and with us at every stage, and we learn to trust Him more.
No matter what transition you find yourself in today, it is just as much a time of growth, learning, and trusting for us as it is for them. We have done our best as parents up to this point, and now we can trust God to use them and complete His plan in their lives. It is helpful to remember that God loves them even more than we do. This is also a chance for us to learn to be the type of parent they need at this stage of their lives. No matter what, you will always be their mom or dad. The key is to figure out how to be the best parent we can be in this new stage of life. For that, we can seek God’s guidance and the help of other parents who have been there.
It is okay to feel sad and miss what was, but feel the sadness while still having hope and anticipation, because as you let go, you will be able to see God work in their lives. As C.S. Lewis said: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” So, grieve what you love that is being left behind, but get excited about all that is to come as you trust God!