i think it is one of those things that you definitionally cannot be prepared for. the role reversal and perspective shift is completely undefined in the child's (of any age) mental and emotional structure. but the experience bears a lot of lessons and growth opportunities... the amount of awful that it is is only matched by the degree to which you can appreciate how independent you are and maybe always have been. the buck stops with you for maybe the first time in life. scary but also empowering. speaking from a recent experience. i don't mean to imply this "sovereignty" thing is the only aspect. there is a lot more to it than that, but its what i'm focusing on here.