Not every kid that just graduated is getting ready to head out to college.

Not every kid that just graduated is getting ready to head out to college.
It is not all dorm shopping and class lists and getting that U-haul packed.
Our very own middle kid is staying put next year and we couldn’t be more proud of him.
He wants and needs more time before he decides his next steps. Oh the joy of knowing this!
He already has a job and each day goes to work and is loving his job with kids in our community. He is ready to explore and figure things out from right here, his same old bedroom with his same old family around him. He is super proud to have purchased his very own car so he can be in charge of something adult-y. and my heart feels all the feels watching him do what he feels sure about.
I think we need to come behind this option and look at it as just as important as college for so many of our kids.
I wish I would have been more sure of myself in offering this to our older kids after seeing how great it is for this one.
So many of our kids are not quite ready to go and what on Earth is the rush? And some of our kids are not sure what they are going to study and man it is a really expensive journey if you take too many twists and turns (we have learned that the hard way). And some of our kids may not ever need to go to college. Their paths are different and just as fabulous.
Let’s help this next generation find their paths by championing ALL of the paths.
College? Fab, we wish you well, can’t wait to hear about it!
Work? Fab, we wish you well, can’t wait to hear about it!
Tech school? Fab, we wish you well, can’t wait to hear about it!
The military? Fab, we wish you well, can’t wait to hear about it!
Just taking a breather? Fab, we wish you well, can’t wait to hear about it!
Let’s just cheer them on and help them listen to what THEY need, not just what the world tells them comes next. They have their whole lives to settle into adulthood and their frontal lobes have until 24 years old to develop so let’s just let them figure it all out without rushing them to the next step. A slow journey can get you where you are going and in the end, I don’t actually think it is about where you are going.
I think it is about the journey. This day, right now, doing the next thing that you are meant to do. Finding your joy and learning to serve. Right here. Right now.
Let’s applaud whatever paths our kids are brave enough to be taking. Because trust me when I say that knowing yourself well enough to know you need a different path is just as impressive as getting into that awesome school or being ahead of the game to some degree.
In the end, if our kids don’t know and trust themselves none of the rest of it matters. ❤️