As a kid…
Thank you for taking off my training wheels and letting go of the bike as I learned to ride.
Thank you for sending me into the convenience store to buy a gallon of milk.
Thank you for making me check out my own books at the library.
Thank you for letting me walk alone to school and to my friends’ houses.
Thank you for giving me chores to show me what it is like to earn privileges.
As a teenager…
Thank you for letting me get my license right away.
Thank you for making me schedule all my own doctor appointments and go to them by myself.
Thank you for sending me alone to get an oil change.
Thank you for letting me do whatever I want but giving me a curfew.
Thank you for making me get a job as soon as I turned 16.
Thank you for grounding me to show me what it is like to suffer consequences.
As a young adult…
Thank you for teaching me how to cook so I do not starve while living on my own.
Thank you for showing me how to consider pros and cons so I can make my own important decisions.
Thank you for making me memorize my social security number because that thing comes in handy way more than I expected.
Thank you for saying “no” when I ask you to call so-and-so for me when I am afraid of adulting.
Overall, thank you for trusting me. If you did not trust me, I would not trust myself. Without trust in myself, I would not be able to be as independent as I am. Because of you, I am comfortable walking into stores alone and shopping by myself. Because of you, I can comfortably sit alone in a dining hall or a café. Because of you, I have no problem ordering a pizza over the phone or going into the restaurant instead of the drive-thru. I am who I am because of you.
Most importantly, thank you for answering all my questions along the way without ever stepping in to do something for me. You took every opportunity there was to teach me something and I will forever be appreciative. I am as prepared for life as you have always wanted me to be and I love you for that.