I Wonder: Is the new season of Special Needs Adult Living upon us? Is it time for me to pull back a bit? I would like to think so. The vigilance of the last almost three months since the ladies moved into their apartment (August 1) is time-consuming and my extensive email correspondence with the ABD team is possibly irritating to them, though no one has expressed annoyance at werewolf momma. In truth, it has been the last two years of “non-stop efforting” without pause that makes for the wishful thinking that pull back is possible.

Is It A Question Of Standards? I need to ask myself this question: Is the issue one of standards, what I think our daughter’s life should look like? Or the acceptance of any mother whose child has moved into adulthood and is not mimicking everything “mom.” Does her hairbrush have to look like my hairbrush? (Though with super short white hair, I barely brush.) Can the staff replace me in most ways? Absolutely. They are consoling, caring and vigilant. Can only I tell if her cold has become a sinus infection by staring into her eyes? Is it that hard to notice dark rings? Can we just “date”, mom and daughter? I am really not sure.

Fingers Crossed, we can. I would enjoy letting my guard down and easing into something called the “empty nest.” HA!

©Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 2011