A recent summer-like spell of warm weather on campus immediately brought to mind the coming end of term; and, for our graduating students, the end of their high school experience.

If you are a parent of a soon-to-be Grade 12 graduate (or a teen who will graduate in the next few years), you will soon learn that this milestone is a bittersweet moment. You are simultaneously proud of your child’s growth and maturity, while also perplexed by how quickly time has past, finding yourself reflecting upon when they were a young child.

As a parent of three TCS graduates, I know the feeling. And, today, I come bearing good news.

The relationship parents establish with their children varies from family to family. With my own parents, I thought that once I left for university, I was “gone.” Sure, we would get together on special occasions, but I did not think that there would be an evolution of our relationship. I thought there would be more of a gradual distancing. This was not the case.

My mother became the best friend to my daughter. My father became a source of tremendous support during some challenging times – when he was nearly 80 years old!

The advice I give to parents whose children have reached another milestone, like graduation, is to savour every moment. Relish the past; look forward to your child’s next stage of life. Be part of their present.

If we are fortunate enough to have children and they are fortunate to have us as loving parents, our sadness for the passing of time and worry about their uncertain futures, are only secondary concerns. If you choose to embrace this perspective, the good news is that this will allow you to sit back and enjoy Speech Day, fully focussed on experiencing and soaking in this special moment in your child’s life.