Permission To Launch

The attitude of faith is to let go, and become open to truth; whatever it might turn out to be.

- Alan Watts

Balancing the five developmental forces is an art form, a juggling act which no parent gets one-hundred-percent right. Ideally, a family will provide safety and support for the child while respecting their individuality. After the child achieves a secure attachment with the mother, they internalise that feeling of security and use it to separate from and rejoin the family unit without guilt or anxiety.

The healthy family affords the child this privilege because the guardians have their needs met by themselves, each other, close friends, and other adults in the extended family. With their needs sufficiently secured, the parent happily provides a warm, protective structure for the child until the...