Mom of 6 reflects on lessons learned as kids grow into adults

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

“It goes so fast!”

“Enjoy every moment.”

“Someday, you’re going to miss this.”

All these statements ring true for Jeannie Johnson, a mother of six children ranging in age from 15 to 32.

This back-to-school season, the youngest two Johnson children will head to O’Gorman High School, following a family tradition of education at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

It started with Dave and Jeannie’s oldest son, Zachary, who became a student at St. Michael Elementary in 1998 and graduated from O’Gorman in 2010. Benjamin followed in the class of 2015; Samuel, class of 2020; and Dominic, class of 2023. Izabella and Molly are high schoolers, and the family has grown to include two daughters-in-law, Kady and Samantha, who also are O’Gorman grads in the classes of 2016 and 2015, respectively. Grandson George rounds out the family.

It has all added up to a lot of learning for Jeannie, too, who speaks with years of experience about what it’s like to raise kids knowing they will one day leave home — and how different each childhood can be.

Getting involved

The early years saw Dave and Jeannie running after toddlers and pre-teens, juggling sports schedules and activities, working and attending school events, meetings and other activities in order to stay involved.

Through their involvement, they also made lifelong friends with other parents, teachers and administrators at O’Gorman.

“Get involved in your kids’ lives and all their activities,” she said. “You will never get this time back. You will never regret the time you spent being involved. Let them see you volunteering and helping. Let them see you focusing on others. When you focus on helping others, I believe that encourages our young to serve and not expect to be served.”

Jeannie has always encouraged her children to take part in extracurricular activities and to explore their interests outside of the classroom. She has opened her home to be a place for her children and their friends to gather.

From hosting marching band drumline sectionals, an annual Fourth of July waterslide event and the O’Gorman spring musical cast party, “we seem to always have a full house no matter how many kids are actually living here,” she said.

“Friends come and go, and we will never turn down an opportunity to open our home.”  

Hosting events and volunteering to help with theater and band have helped the Johnsons get to know their children’s friends and their parents. Jeannie’s photography hobby turned into a side business and has helped her stay connected with the school community and activities her kids participated in.  

Her three youngest children were all in high school together for one year and in music and theater together.

Jeannie watched from the wings as her children performed together and maybe even got along better. She had the opportunity to photograph her kids and their friends, and she made sure her children knew that she was there to support them.

“Seeing them all on stage together was such a blessing and something we never took for granted ever,” she said. “We dove right in and became as involved as we did with our older boys with their sports and other activities. We have rarely missed the chance to see our kids compete and perform. The friendships we made through these activities are deep and long-lasting.” 

Moving on

When her oldest was ready to graduate high school, she remembers feeling scared: He was moving 14 hours away to swim collegiately.  

“We still had five other kids at home that also kept us busy, so it was easy to not get stuck feeling sad,” Jeannie said. “We had to keep moving. When we kept our focus on how excited and happy he was to enter into this next chapter of his life, it was hard to stay sad! I thought it would be hard leaving him so far away, but he was so, so happy meeting all his new teammates from literally all over the world. I wanted to stay and watch him excel, but we had to let him go and forge his path.”

One by one, the kids took their next steps after high school

In the spring of 2023, the fourth Johnson son graduated from O’Gorman.

It was much harder watching him finish all his “last” things, his mom acknowledged.

“Maybe it was harder because he was our last boy; I’m not sure. But this one hit me harder for sure. I didn’t have as many things to distract me, like little kids to take care of at home,” she said. “I gave myself a limited amount of time to feel sad and grieve the ending of this chapter, but I tried quickly to focus on what new and exciting things were in store for him. And again, focusing on his excitement helps so much.”  

For those who know Jeannie, her joy is contagious. While sending No. 4 off to college held new feelings for her, “the biggest thing is to always stay grateful and focus on your blessings,” she said.

“You have heard ‘don’t cry because it’s over; rejoice because it happened.’ That advice has never been more true in my life. When I stay grateful and focus on others, my sadness dissipates!”

It’s advice she shares with others learning to cope with a child leaving the nest.

 “Savor the moment and always stay grateful for the things and opportunities YOU have. Pray always for your children and their future spouses. Trust that God loves your child MORE than you do, and when things get tough to handle, surrender it over to God and let Him handle it,” she said.

“We try to control so much of life that we forget God already has a great plan for your child’s life. We just have to keep helping them find their way! When they say it takes a village, I truly believe that we were guided to O’Gorman for a reason and to help us with our journey of parenting.”

Building a class of spiritual leaders, one small group at a time