Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced that they will be stepping down from their official roles as senior members of the royal family. The announcement that shook the world came directly from Harry and Meghan, courtesy of their official Instagram account, @sussexroyal.
Say what you will of the decision (and as you can imagine, people have a lot of things to say about the decision), but no matter what your opinion is on the lives of these two people we will never, ever actually interact with is, one thing is clear: They have sent a pretty clear message to everyone who is watching them so closely.
And just what is that message?
That it's OK to know when to quit
Most of us grew up with the message that quitting is never an option — you start something, you finish it. Our parents valued seeing commitments through to the end, being loyal to a fault, and teaching us how to keep going when the going gets tough.
While there are so many valuable lessons to be learned in all of those things, there is also value to be learned in setting boundaries, respecting mental health, and paving your own way in life.
It's called self-care
As a millennial parent, I've already encountered clashes with the "don't be a quitter" mentality I've absorbed and the kind of life I want to provide for my children. Honestly, I would rather they learn the ability to assess situations they are in — if they're feeling stressed or unhappy — and take action to change it in a healthy way instead of ever feeling trapped or pressured by the weight of other people's expectations.
We know life is short. We preach it all the time and hear it nonstop as moms. Why on earth would we judge anyone else for trying to make the most of it?
You might even get scorned — as Harry and Meghan did — by losing a coveted spot in a wax museum (among other things), but when you're doing what's best for you, hey, you gotta keep your head up high and stay true to your decision.
It's not all or nothing
I think back to the time that I was shamed for letting my 3-year-old quit ballet lessons after I had already bought her costume, or watching a classmate suffer through a sport they absolutely hated because his parents wouldn't raise a "quitter." I can't help but wonder if maybe a middle ground can't be reached here.
Is it possible to value hard work and persistence and empower our children to know that they are allowed to call the shots in situations where they don't feel comfortable?
Although preschool ballet or middle school basketball may not exactly be on the same level as Buckingham Palace, I think that Harry and Meghan's departure from royal duties can speak to us regular parents in a relevant way. Sometimes, knowing when to quit might just be a more valuable lesson than simply finishing what you have started.
