Once your child starts being a person of their own, it’s hard to find the “right” amount of involvement in anything — especially something that causes them pain and frustration. During these phases, I have watched from the sidelines and I have jumped in, depending. I do my best to persist, support, and ultimately accept, even when all I want is to protect her from this or somehow fight it off. I just want her to be okay, but I’ve learned that the barometer for that is malleable.