A new phase

I have never been here before. What I mean is, I have never raised pre-teen girls before. Especially in this unschooled environment. When they were younger and we first changed to this way of living and learning as the girls would find something new they would joyfully bring it to me. And ask what I thought about it. What ever "it" was. And now as they are older, they seem to need my input less and less. The value that my opinion used to have on what they found interesting has decreased. The mommy market has crashed I'm afraid to say. But, this was my goal wasn't it? To help my kids become independent thinkers. To know what they value as important and know what makes them happy. So in this I can say that I have planted my flag on the top of mount independence, and shouted FREEDOM from the hilltop. And then I turn around and see the steep mountain I must climb down. We traveled up here together but the walk back is mine alone. So for now I will start heading back. Walking slowly, and every once and a while turning around and taking a few steps back up when I hear, "Mom, how do you spell, ----" Shouted from somewhere in the house. So as I leave them this afternoon to run a few errands and get my hair done. I will kiss them in the foreheads and whisper to them I love them, because they are still sleeping. I know they were up late last night enjoying their lives as the Mighty Waltons.