Pat Shapiro Last Updated: Jan 16th, 2010 - 15:26:11 My Turn: Women's Search for Self after the Children Leave By Jul 18, 2006, 16:07 Email this article  Printer friendly page Everyone knows that for children to mature and become independent they must leave home and separate from their parents. But the reverse is seldom recognized: that this separation is necessary for a woman's growth and development as well.