Two quotes which sum up my feelings about this, and which I'm striving to live by:

(From 'The Prophet' by Kahil Gibran)

'Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are set forth."

(From the song: 'Wings' by Brian Bedford - and sung by Vin Garbutt)

"Why do people cage the things they love the most ?
Is it simply that they fear to be alone ?
If you give your love its freedom, it may stay a while,
If it leaves you, it was never yours to own."

- jeanie