When children fly the nest?

Last week was a landmark week for my husband Kevin and myself. Kevin's daughter Samantha (my step-daughter) moved in with us full-time.

Sam had lived with her mother up until that point, and we had always wished that we could spend more time with her rather than just the occasional weekend. We felt that there was so much we couldn't do to help her from far away - like helping her with homework and all the usual things like that!

Now that she is 17, Sam has decided to have a change and come and live with her father for a while. She has left school already, and is looking for a job in our town, Buckingham. Yesterday, Kevin and I spent all evening helping her with a job application form. It was delightful to be able to do something positive with her.

Even little things like doing her washing and ironing are a pleasure for me, and I hope Sam knows that her Dad and I love her no matter what - that she doesn't need to be "good" to earn our love.

Happy parenting,

Cassie