I need books!

I love reading books.  I love learning.  Whenever I have a problem, I look for a solution.  Whenever I want to learn something new, I go to libraries and bookstores (as well as look online) to get ideas about how to proceed.   I can't imagine life without books.

So, in my transition from Mommy with kids at home to Mommy with kids grown up, my first thought was, "I wonder if there are any books on this subject?"  Surprisingly, there are very few books written on how to be a parent to adult children, or how to be an empty-nester parent.  There are large sections of bookstores and libraries devoted to parenting kids of all ages...until they reach adulthood.  Then the wealth of knowledge becomes a trickle.

I have a hard time believing that this transition comes easy to most moms.  After spending 20-40 years devoting much of our time and energy into raising children, entering the next phase of life can be bewildering.   We're still moms.  We still have children.  I know the roles change drastically but they change, they're not eliminated. 

When I was a new mother, I made mistakes.  I learned through trial and error and the examples of my mother, my older sister and friends whose children were older than mine.  I learned from books.  I relied on my religion to help me set standards. 

Now I'm doing it all over again.  I make mistakes communicating with married children.  I am learning through trial and error.  I so appreciate the wisdom and advice of friends and family and my church.  There just need to be more books on the subject.

Being inexperienced is a humbling feeling.  Hope I get this figured out soon!