Sandra Sully might have cried her way through Friday's speech to 400 graduating Brisbane State High students.

But she can rest assured there were plenty of parents quietly shedding tears behind brave facades, as they supported children who tapped toes impatiently in readiness for their impending schoolies onslaught.

We are incredibly proud of who and what our children have become. For some of us, it's the first time we let them loose.

We trust that for 17 years we've taught them enough street smarts to do the right thing in a crowd of revellers. We hope they won't be led astray by a bad egg. We worry, but we believe that they will make responsible decisions.

The week ahead is an immediate concern.

But deep down, we know there's more to it than that. The milestone is merely a distraction. As it hits our sons and daughters that their school life is over, it hits us too that so is our time as school parents.

We reflect. We realise that times, they are a changing.

It's tough to admit that some of this emotion is about us, because for most of our lives we've made it all about them. From the finger paintings in first grade, through to the complex philosophical discussions which bedazzle us in final year; whatever the occasion, we offer heartfelt praise and encouragement.

There is no reason to be embarrassed. It's okay to accept that this moment is a reflection of our own lives – how we've lived for 17 years, what's come of it, what we'll do now, our age.

Will the child we love so much turn to us less now that they've discovered their own independence? Will we need to adjust? What will we do with new spare time? Do life's priorities all of a sudden change?

Until today, I didn't have the need to think. And while my little girl will still be there, curled up in her bedroom with her latest device – she insists she'll be living with us until she's 30 – her needs will change.

I'll remain proud of all she does, I'll continue to offer advice, and I'll love her no less. But now that school's over, it's about letting go – releasing control, trusting more, and appreciating that our children are now more responsible than ever for their actions.

So, yes. My little girl's all grown up. And while my heart remains full of pride, there's part of it which feels a little heavy. It won't last, but parents everywhere can be comforted by the knowledge that they're not alone.

My own daughter isn't going to schoolies, but she is travelling away. I hope she has a great time. I wish her all the joy she has brought me over the past 17 years. But I do look forward to seeing her return home. Safe and unscathed.