Good parenting philosophy suggests that we should provide roots for our children grounding them with a strong sense of values and, at the same time, provide them with wings to fly into their own future.

But this is not an easy task.

I have thought of myself somewhat like the mother character in Margaret Wise Brown's Children#'s book, “The Runaway Bunny.” In the story, she tells her little adventurous bunny, # “If you run away, I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.#” Any yet, if we as parents are always present leading, following and catching our children, we might never experience the joy of seeing them take flight.

My daughter, Maggie, took flight (literally and figuratively) last summer when she began her journey as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student in Sydney, Australia. For the last 10 months, she has explored all that Sydney and much of what Australia has to offer: immersing herself in new Aussie friendships with her group at the Asquith Girls School, world-wide friendships with the 30 other Rotary exchange students, four dear and forever-loved #“host#” families, along with a charming country that is full of surprises.

Maggie has independently embraced this journey knowing full well that it has been a gift to be relished forever in her memories. And while she has been supported and loved by family and friends both at home and in Australia, she has been brave and diligent navigating a new and independent life. She has taken on the role of a youth ambassador representing her country as well as growing with a broader, world-wide perspective #- a far cry from her life in central New York. I know all of this to be true, for I just returned from a two-week adventure where my daughter shared with me the sights of Sydney and introduced me to some of the kindest and dearest people that I have ever had the privilege of meeting.

Each day was an event as we explored the city and the surrounding area by foot, bus, train, ferry, tunnel, tower and bridge. We visited the Blue Mountains where I was kissed by an aboriginal; together we climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge where the view was spectacular, had lunch at the beach, dinner at the top of Centerpoint Tower, experienced a traditional Australian #“barbie#” with great food, friends and fun, and together were charmed by the ballet at the Sydney Opera House with fireworks that followed.

Maggie was my tour guide, and I marveled at the ease in which she navigated the public transit and the maturity displayed as she introduced me to the many Rotarians, families and friends. While the sights and the people took my breath way, the greatest gift of all was sharing such an intimate experience with my daughter without the distractions and the routine of life. I will forever be grateful for Tom and Yvonne Borg for opening their home to me as well as my Hoercher and Ringwood family for supporting this adventure.

And so, perhaps I am somewhat like mother bunny, who for love, took to the other side of the world just to see and hold my little bunny; but I left alone as Maggie needs to conclude her journey.

There were no tears at the airport, rather a sense of pride in her maturity and independence, her roots and the strength in knowing that so many new wonderful friendships have been formed.

Teresa Hoercher is the mother of Maggie Hoercher, who is a student studying abroad in Australia. Teresa visited her daughter over Mother's Day.