A trip to South Africa showed me a side of my adult son I'd been too busy to notice
A mother describes her experience traveling to South Africa with her adult son, noting how the trip allowed her to relinquish her role as the family planner. The experience helped her connect with her son as an equal adult for the first time.
Why it matters
It reflects on the evolving dynamics of parent-child relationships as children transition into adulthood.
The author said she got to see a different side of her son when they traveled together to Africa. Courtesy of Jennifer McGuire. I've always been the planner and decider in my family. On a recent trip, someone else did the work. Being with my adult son one-on-one on a trip that I didn't plan allowed me to see a new side of him. Connecting with my son as an adult in a magical destination was priceless to me. The sky was still ink black where we were in South Africa . My son Ben and I grabbed our flashlights, lighting our way along the walking path to the main building at the lodge where we were staying, ready for our last game drive with ranger Dion and tracker Bongi. We were nervous after hearing a lion roaring outside our window the night before.
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