​As a caring parent who loves her children deeply, I have always wanted to make sure they have all that they need to grow and thrive. After (mostly) unconditionally loving them through infancy until adulthood, I want them to still feel the warmth of my love even when I’m no longer present to guide them. Ideally, they will remember the positive ways I made them feel, the confidence, compassion and resilience I’ve instilled in them – as well as the skills and values I taught

Do you have good friends and loving family? People who are your "ride or die"? Think about the quality of your relationships with relatives as well as with other people you know well. Do you feel comfortable calling on them for help? Have you built positive, trusting relationships with people who live near enough to get to you when you need them? If you haven't, consider doing so. Because chances are that at some point, you WILL need them. I have a friend I’ll call Brenda. By

I have two daughters and spent a lot of time with them when they were younger. Almost every morning, I hugged them and said “Good morning, Beautiful!” I drove them to daycare before heading to work. Later, I was their Girl Scout troop leader, PTA president, and the parent who often chauffeured them and their friends home after cheerleading/soccer/track practice and competitions. When my children were young, their father and I controlled most aspects of their lives -- where t