When It’s Time for Them to Fly
There’s something no one quite prepares you for as a Mother.
When It’s Time to Let Them Fly
There’s something no one quite prepares you for as a mother — the moment your child takes flight.
You spend years pouring every ounce of your love, energy, and belief into them. You watch their first steps, their school years, their heartbreaks, their dreams forming. And then, almost in a blink, they’re no longer standing behind you needing your guidance — they’re beside you, grown, and ready to step into their own life.
That moment comes with so much pride. But it also comes with a quiet ache that lives somewhere deep in your chest.
The Beauty and the Breaking of Letting Go
Recently, I found myself standing at the edge of this moment. Watching my eldest, my baby-turned-adult, begin to spread their wings and step into their next chapter.
And I won’t sugar-coat it — it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
Not because I’m not proud (I am). Not because I’m not ready (I thought I was). But because there’s something about letting go that pushes against every fibre of your being as a mother.
You remember every scraped knee, every bedtime story, every whispered “I love you” in the dark. You remember the promises you made — to show them love, to offer them freedom, and to raise them with an open heart and an open door.
But you don’t realise that keeping those promises means holding yourself through the ache of watching them walk away — not out of your life, but into their own.
From Young Mum to Strong Mum
I became a mum at 20. I was young, a little naïve, but wildly full of love and determination.
I didn’t have all the answers, but I knew I wanted to raise children who felt deeply loved, deeply seen, and deeply free. I wanted them to know there was a whole world waiting for them — not one where they only needed me or their dad, but one they could explore, build, and make their own.
I always hoped they’d find the courage to chase adventure. I just didn’t realise how brave I’d need to be when they did.
Sitting With the Feeling
As a life coach, I often remind women that it’s okay to sit with the feelings — not rush them, not fix them, but simply let them move through.
So that’s what I’ve been doing. Sitting with the emotion. Letting the tears come, sometimes when I least expect them. Holding onto the memories while also gently loosening my grip.
Grief, pride, longing, love — they all live here together. And that’s okay. Because letting go with love is still love. And in the space between holding on and letting go, we grow too.
To All the Mums Feeling This Too
If you're here, reading this with tears stinging your eyes or a lump forming in your throat — I see you.
This part of motherhood is quiet and often unspoken, but it matters. You’ve done the most extraordinary thing. You’ve raised someone ready to fly.
And though the nest might feel a little emptier now, I promise — your heart will grow even bigger to hold the love that continues, even at a distance.
They’ll come back. In their own way, in their own time. And they’ll carry your love in everything they do.
Let them fly.
And trust that you’ve already given them everything they need to soar.
With love, always,
Amy x
