I was reading one of my favorite sites for some inspiration and found this. Boy, do I wish I would have read this 10 years ago and followes it. Maybe I would not be in the place I am today. I miss my Gigi so much and think about her always. And if there was a way I could have prepared a little more I would have... So I hope this helps you if you are still in the "younger" years. Or...maybe nothing will help and you will be like me...a balling crybaby!!!

Parents, are you ready for an empty nest when your kids fly the coop to college?

Or will you sob and embarrass them at Freshman orientation? Well, the journey to letting go is filled with little steps between the cradle and college. So here’s some advice we found in Newsweek magazine from the book, “Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years.”

• To start, take a deep breath and one step back. Give your child a chance to work things out on their own. Even a crying infant eventually learns to fall asleep without being held.

• Next, help your child learn to negotiate conflicts. Encouraging your toddler to use words instead of grabbing her toy back from another child is the first lesson in the art of conflict resolution.

• Another step on the road to letting go: Help your child stand up for herself. Don’t go to teachers about bad grades, or coaches about bad calls. If your child wants to change things, let her fight her own battles, solve her own problems, and gain confidence.

• Here’s another piece of wisdom from the book Letting Go: Encourage your child to dream big. But help them set achievable goals. Your middle schooler may want to run a marathon, but help her run a 5k first.

• More advice on letting go for parents: Loosen the reins a little at a time. Increase your child’s responsibilities and freedoms a bit more each year.

• Here’s a biggie: Teach your kid to manage time and money. When teenagers are allowed to make choices about the money they’ve saved, the reality of what life really costs sets in. And the kid who understands the consequences of being late, has a big advantage. So set rules, and if they’re broken, dish out consequences.

And finally – even though you’re letting go, remain an anchor. Encourage your child to turn to you in good times and bad. Stay steady even when your child is shaky. And resist the temptation of giving one last lecture. She’s been listening more than you know.