Our children abandoned us over Easter. I knew it was coming, but I was sorry to see it arrive. Sakura-con is always Easter weekend. It’s a convention in which people dress up, uh cosplay, as their favorite anime character. Anime are Japanese cartoons, as opposed to American cartoons, which is what Comicon is about. However, they bleed together with any fan favorite character, animated or living, creativity being the key. On occasions I’ve attended in the past, I’ve seen the Pope, because let’s face it, Jesus is busy Easter weekend.

My kids usually attend two or three days starting on Thursday, but are home Easter morning. This year, they exercised their adult(ish) rights and got a hotel room with friends Friday and Saturday nights. I get it. I understand how much easier it is and more fun to have a place to rest if they get tired in the middle of the day. When they were minors, I used to go with them and chaperone. We had a room Friday night, and I dictated when it was time to head home because I had an Easter dinner to plan. I haven’t been since 2012 and they’ve suddenly figured it out.

It is a conundrum that our time-honored family tradition clashes with Sakura-con weekend. I assume it’s the easiest time slot to book the Seattle Convention Center for that big of an event. It’s not like other companies are clamoring to hold a function over Easter weekend.

Quite honestly, I knew I’d lose them eventually. Our family has gotten smaller with grandparents’ deaths and I got tired of cooking a big Easter dinner every year. Though I feel like I failed as a mother because they chose a convention of fun over Easter Sunday mass and a two-hour dinner with family, I realized I can only do what I can do.

I read to them every night from the time they were born until they were well into reading on their own, but they’re not readers. Right now. They may decide to pick up a book in the future. I have given them the tools for many aspects of life. I taught them how and when to use those tools, then I had to let go and let them choose to use them or not. Believe me, I’ve tried to force stuff on them. Life lessons don’t stick when accomplished by the parents. So I can only hold on to knowing I’ve given them the knowledge and they’re doing what they need to do. Right Now. Maybe they’ll come back to my ways or chose their own path. They’re good people, and I’m happy with that.

On the flip side, the upheaval in tradition has opened doors to me. It was such a relief to walk through the stores and not worry about buying Easter candy. My mother and I went to the Saturday night Easter Vigil mass that I’ve never gotten to attend because the kids didn’t want to sit in church for three hours. My husband even opted out, because he isn’t Catholic and he was overwhelmed by the length. It was an awesome experience, one my mother and I have decided to continue in the years to come. Then I slept in Easter morning.

Though old traditions die hard, this was an Easter of freedom for me. I’ve learned a lot about myself as I willingly let go of this aspect of my daughters’ childhoods. There is nothing in the rule book that says they have to do everything the way I do it. Heck, there’s not even a rule book. If they want to follow along, they know where to find me. Right now.

Gretchen Leigh is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Covington. You can read more of her writing on her website livingwithgleigh.com, follow her on Facebook at “Living with Gleigh by Gretchen Leigh”or on Twitter @livewithgleigh. Her column is also available at maplevalleyreporter.com under the Life section.