My Nephew Is Moving Out and It Has Me Thinking

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Cartoon family portrait indoors. Grandmother in a wheelchair with a stern face. Mother behind the chair. Narrator beside them with two nieces on one side and a tall nephew on the other side. Warm living room setting.

My Nephew Is Moving Out, and It Has Me Thinking

Family reflections

I can not have kids for medical reasons that I am not ready to share. Even if I could, I do not know that I would bring a child into this world right now. My health, my mental health, and my autistic challenges are real. It would not feel fair to them.

I help raise my nephew and two nieces in our house with my mom and my grandma. I never planned this role, yet here I am. Their dad is gone. Their mom lives across town. I do what I can. I love them more than they know.

Camren is moving out. In my mind he is still five, sprinting through leaves in the yard, both of us laughing while Mom shouts from the porch. Now he is taller than me. He works. He is finding his way. I am proud of him.

If he leaves with one truth, let it be this. He will always have a home here. I do not understand how anyone can make home expire at eighteen. Love does not run on a timer. Family is a promise, not a test.

I will miss the noise and the shoes by the door. I will cheer for his firsts and hold space for the hard days. Change comes either way. We can meet it with open arms.

Gentle reminder for anyone who needs it. You can be a good guardian without being a parent. You can be proud and sad at the same time. Both can be true.

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