I stood there, speechless, relieved and a little embarrassed at the same time. My daughter looked at me, her eyes wide and amazed:

“Mom, is everything okay?”

I stammered a “yes, yes, perfect” before closing the door, red as a tomato.

And in the hallway, I burst out laughing. A nervous laugh at first, then a laugh of relief, almost tenderness.

I had just understood something essential: our teenagers aren’t always where we expect them to be. Sometimes, they surprise us, and often in a good way.

Learning to let go (even when it’s hard)