This is her first go-round with the emptying nest process, so she is understandably a bit shell shocked considering all the hits involved.
Aside from tuition and fees there are all the costs involved in setting a kidlet up in their own space. Dorm or apartment either one - each venue requires at least one shopping trip and potentially more.
As I discovered along the way with my own kids, at some point the roles of Mom and Dad are reduced to half Sherpa/half remote wallet.
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| xkcd has nothing to worry about from me! (I'm so clearly NOT a hitherto unrecognized cartoonist) |
If there is not any evidence of eye rolling or sigh heaving either one, I'll eat my book of parenting union rules. Unsalted.
Mostly there is the tension inherent in the implicit understanding that once the parent-cats are away? Every college mouse is ready to play....
As a salute of sorts to all the mommies and daddies living out their summer with college bound kiddos? This glimpse of days to come from xkcd.com 2:
2 comments:
This first go 'round is so much harder than I expected. And I think it is for her, too. I can tell she's nervous. She just doesn't openly admit it.
But little by little I'm letting go. For example, she doesn't really have a curfew this summer. She's a good kid and her friends all DO have curfews, so it's not like I'm risking much. But just training myself not to say "Be home by midnight" every time she walks out the door is taking some getting used to.
Hoo boy! Somebody ought to write a book about letting kids go. Hint. Hint.
You are already so far ahead of the game. Realizing everybody is nervous is a huge advantage. Being able to take that to the next step and not personalize however those nerves manifest themselves won't win the war but it certainly avoids several unwelcome battles.
And, eliminating a curfew that won't exist for your sweet girl 3 months from now anyway is a wise move. She can get used to exercising her "time to call it a night!" muscles while the stakes are a bit lower.
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