Zaneta Intaite

I'm 40-year-old woman and I have big dreams: to live to 110, work until I’m 85, and spend my final 25 years writing books that inspire others. Although I still feel young and stronger than ever, I know I can’t stop the aging process. Even with good genes that help me age gracefully, I can’t ignore the signs—my hair is graying, and my skin is slowly losing elasticity. Yes, I’m getting older, and while that might sound like a slow march toward a deadline, I choose to embrace it. As my favorite singer Noga Erez puts it, “I don’t know what really, really happens at the end of the road, but my trip is mad—I ain’t finished; I got loads!”

When we think about parenting, we often picture young parents running after their small children. Most parenting advice focuses on managing the early years, like dealing with tantrums, school challenges, and teenaging, at it’s best. But there’s a whole other side to parenting that often gets overlooked—the importance of adult-to-adult relationship with your adult children. We all understand that parenting doesn’t end when your child turns 18. In fact, as children grow into adults, the role of a parent becomes just as crucial, though it looks very different. We stop being physically essential for their existence, but remain emotionally involved in their future. As parents, we’re well-supported when our kids are young. Teachers, schools, afterschool activities, community support, even family doctors are all part of the village that helps us raise our children. But what happens when our kids grow up?