Ep. 14 - Walking an Unexpected Path: Mothering a Son from Depression, to the Desert, to the Dean's List

Trigger Warning: Moms, please listen without any kids around.Sometimes, our child needs to walk a different path than the one all of the other kids are walking. And as parents, it’s hard to anticipate how hard we’d fight to keep them on the “normal” path. Today’s guest, Alicia, gave her son space to do something unexpected; he dropped out of high school. She shares his compelling story from depression, to the desert, to Dean’s List.This episode, though, is far more than a teenager’s story; it’s the portrait of a mother who, quite literally, walked beside her child in his most difficult moments.Alicia opens up about a spectrum of moments and feelings in her family’s journey:*her divorce and the ripple effect it created in her family*signs of detachment that her son showed*how an illness altered her son’s interests*the terror of learning her son had run away*why volunteerism is connected to gratitudeWe hope you’ll share your thoughts with us after you listen!Find us at thelocalmomsnetwork.comFollow us on IG @thelocalmomsnetworkSend us your ideas for our next podcast!Email [email protected]