Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them.

Our children are in our homes for a limited time. If we wait until they walk out the door to turn over to them the reins of their agency, we have waited too long. They will not suddenly develop the ability to make wise decisions if they have never been free to make any important decisions while in our homes. Such children often either rebel against this compulsion or are crippled by an inability to make any decisions on their own.

Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them. They provide opportunities for growth as children acquire the maturity to exercise their agency properly. And yes, this means children will sometimes make mistakes and learn from them. Henry Eyring has said, “Of all the help we can give young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it.”