WHEN it’s time for your children to leave the family home this transition can often be a tearful one - often for the parents!

While visiting the room they used to occupy you may rejoice in how clean and tidy it is, as well as experiencing a great sense of loss.

You will worry about your child and how they are coping without you and the safe family home that you have provided for them for so long - that is only natural.

Resist the temptation to call them constantly or to comment on every Facebook picture they post. Do, however, send private messages or texts of love and support – let them know how proud you are of them!

One practical step that you can take to relieve some of the anxiety is to invest in a ‘parent shopper card’. You have two cards, one for you and one for your teen. You can top up the card up in your supermarket, enabling your teen to shop using the credit that you have put on to the card anywhere in the country.

If you have a younger teen remaining in the family home after their brother or sister has left be aware that they will probably not be used to such intense attention from you as parents, especially if their older sibling was the vociferous one in the family!

Remember our job as parents is to give our children roots and wings. Their move away from home will help them to grow in so many ways and don’t despair - they will be back!

See: www.parentandbabycoach.co.uk

NEXT WEEK: Helping your children with homework