My youngest child has just graduated from college

SportsMama · 06-12-2012, 12:33 PM

I am feeling a lot of mixed emotions as my daughter has just graduated from college this weekend. I am proud of her for working hard in school and following her passion. I am happy that she has had a job lined up for almost a year. I am glad that I will finally be able to spend some money on fixing up some things around the house.

But I am sad, too. It is the end of an era, so to speak. I am no longer the parent of a college student. I am the parent of adults. Yikes! I started looking at some threads on CC and feel that I don't belong. (Thank goodness, for the cafe. Lol.) I know all of this is normal, and that I have much to be thankful for, but I'm still feeling sad.

abasket · 06-12-2012, 12:46 PM

Congratulations to all of you and yes, THANK GOODNESS for the cafe!!!!

You are allowed transition time, just as I think college students are allowed and need after they graduate and leave the familiar campus life.

ellebud · 06-12-2012, 12:48 PM

WEll...we've just been retired (or fired) from the best job in the world........

MyLB · 06-12-2012, 12:49 PM

I maintain that CC needs to set up a forum specifically for parents of recent college graduates (so many things going on during that time of life!) + one for grandparenting. I'm serious.

swimcatsmom · 06-12-2012, 12:52 PM

Hey, my youngest just graduated then got married 3 weeks later, so definitely the end of an era. I didn't really feel any sadness about her graduating - maybe because she took 5 years because of a certificate and a minor she added.

I would be overjoyed if she had a job!!! Between planning a wedding and a honeymoon and waiting for her husband to decide what he was going to do (grad school), she hasn't even looked for a job. Now when that happens, I will feel I am the parent of an adult - will probably do a happy dance!

NJres · 06-12-2012, 12:57 PM

Congrats! I, on the other hand, will be the parent of a college student forever... or so it seems.

shellfell · 06-12-2012, 01:33 PM

The thing I haven't gotten used to with no more kids in college is planning my life without having to consider the academic calendar. My oldest started kindergarten in 1992, so it's been 20 years of checking to see when days off and vacations are, even longer if you consider nursery school. Now I don't have to do that anymore. It's freeing, but it'll take some getting used to.

missypie · 06-12-2012, 01:45 PM

Hugs to you, Sportsmama. My youngest is going to be a junior in HS next year and I've been saying that H and I have two years to get our acts together and develop a social life that doesn't revolve around kids' activities.

zoosermom · 06-12-2012, 02:06 PM

Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment for your family.

Missypie, if you figure out how to do that, please let me know. My little guy is heading to high school in the fall and my husband is now going to have lots of time on his hands.

Marian · 06-12-2012, 02:21 PM

Congratulations!

Expect to feel weird again around this time next year. My youngest graduated a year ago, and I just realized that this is the first time in 22 years that the onset of summer has not had any impact on my life. No move-outs. No kids coming home for the summer. No changes of any kind. It's just bizarre.

deb922 · 06-12-2012, 03:04 PM

I'm in the same boat sportsmama. I've been really sad the last couple of weeks. It's the end of an era. One graduated last year and the last one this year. They both got great jobs but no one is in the same state that we live in. In opposite ends of the country. They will no longer be home for school breaks but as working people, they may come here for a day or two and then will fly back to their lives and jobs.

Both of the kids are now dating someone seriously which has happened within the past year. They have people they want to visit or be with more than me. It's a fact of life and one that I am happy for, but I'm still sad about it. They now have limited vacation time, just as I did as a young person but both my H and I lived within driving distance of our parents and so we were able to come home for the weekend. My kids don't have that luxury.

It's hard as we moved after our last child graduated High School. The kids don't think of where we live as home and have no attachment to here. I had great friends where I used to live and haven't found the same friendships here. We had to move and I'm trying to make the most of it but it's still hard.

Boy this is such a downer. Almost erased it but I guess I'm going to keep this post.

zoosermom · 06-12-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Boy this is such a downer. Almost erased it but I guess I'm going to keep this post

It's really not a downer, though. Your kids graduated from college and got jobs in this economy. They are also building full lives for themselves. Seems to me like your family has hit the jackpot. But I do know what you mean about it being sad. The era of you being a hands-on mom is over. Best of luck in your new role with the new experiences and people to come!

missypie · 06-12-2012, 03:14 PM

This is why mothers pressure their grown, married kids to give them grandchildren.

heyalb · 06-12-2012, 03:27 PM

I'll be in your shoes one year from now (with twins), and I think about this all the time. I remember how weird it was when they went off to college, and now all I can think about is that they will soon be on their own.

At some point, once they're officially launched, we'll move out of the house we've been in for 20+ years, and move to our apartment in NYC.

One word to describe it ..... BITTERSWEET.

missypie · 06-12-2012, 04:03 PM

I would be more excited about a totally empty nest if I had an apartment in NYC in which to move!