This one's for you, Joan Marie

A blogger friend of mine has her gorgeous daughter heading off to college in the fall.

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.

  xkcd has nothing to worry about from me! (I'm so clearly NOT a hitherto unrecognized cartoonist)

Then there is the energy expended in packing and moving and unpacking again, all done while the college bound one is doing their best to be SO cool, y'all.  As soon as her parents and family are out of the way she'll be, like, so sophisticated and mature you guys.  But while the family is inconveniently still hanging around, especially if they are overheard expressing enthusiasm for anything at all?

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: