When do you start to feel the pain? - Page 2

dbwes · 04-19-2008, 07:12 PM

AWWW, DadII -- pass those paper towels!
And no -- I'm not sure when it hits that so much more money is going out. Oh, well -- I've already been to Hawaii (more than once) and eaten at enough expensive restaurants to last me. Time to batten the hatches!

maysixxmom · 04-19-2008, 10:17 PM

Our D is at the school that offered the least amount of aid, but it was her 1st choice and she got into the program of which she'd been dreaming. We promised if she was selected, we'd make it happen and we did. Things have not been easy financially and probably won't be for a very long time, but it was the right decision. She's in love with her school, has great friends, and has met a guy with potential to be "the one".

It was REALLY difficult to turn down the better $$ from other schools, particularly the nearly full ride from Washington & Lee. Unfortunately after visiting for the scholarship weekend, WLU fell off her list.

But 99% of the time, I don't think about the money. I think about how much we miss seeing her face and how happy she is with her life.

gadad · 04-19-2008, 11:01 PM

Here's a third form of pain to prepare for. After this long, arduous process with all the celebrating and enthusiasm, we'll take our kids to move-in weekend - more celebrating and enthusiasm. Then we'll hug and kiss, they'll go into the dorm and dive into a smorgasbord of exciting day-after-day opportunities. We'll climb back into the car, drive home, and discuss what to fix for dinner. We'll be eager for any morsel of information that allows us to share in what's happening on campus; our students will be so busy that we'll have to wait for those periodic morsels. The crescendo keeps building for our kids; it tapers off into a squeak for us.

3bm103 · 04-20-2008, 06:17 AM

Honestly. There was no pain at all. The money had been put away for just this purpose and it gave us great joy to be able to do it. I can't think of anything I would rather have spent the money on. Not that there wasn't anything we COULD have spent the money on. Just nothing that would have made us happier.

madville · 04-20-2008, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Honestly. There was no pain at all. The money had been put away for just this purpose and it gave us great joy to be able to do it. I can't think of anything I would rather have spent the money on. Not that there wasn't anything we COULD have spent the money on. Just nothing that would have made us happier.

Well said, and even better, well done.

sunshadow · 04-20-2008, 10:10 AM

WHen my D went off to college last year, (my only child), my mother reminded me of how all 5 of her kids ended up back at home right after they graduated and stayed for several years while each looked for a job, commuted to law school, saved for a house, etc.
When we are sad and feeling like our kids are leaving us forever, think about that. It helps ease the pain.

oldfort · 04-20-2008, 10:15 AM

sunshadow - no, that doesn't ease the pain. I want them to be out of the house once they are out of college. What will ease the pain is the day when my kids will start paying for my dinners, maybe with a vacation or two thrown in there.

Pizzagirl · 04-20-2008, 10:18 AM

DadII, did you ever tell us where dd finally decided to go?

curiouser · 04-20-2008, 11:26 AM

I have enjoyed a little mental game I play which is called "16 Semesters of Pain".

I have 2 in private college, back to back. The 16 semesters is the total number of semesters we have to pay for. Right now, with D graduating and S a senior this fall, we only have TWO MORE LEFT.

One of my favorite moments in the game was when we realized we were more than 50% there--having climibed to the top and now in descent down the other side of the mountain. The climb's been arduous, but we're in the flatlands now and can see the cabin-on-the-lake (our retirement home?) from here.....

anxiousmom · 04-20-2008, 11:35 AM

What a great idea! I guess that I have six semesters of pain left - and that is past the halfway mark! (always look on the bright side of life..hmmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, - think Monty Python here)

sunshadow · 04-20-2008, 11:48 AM

When I was a freshman in college, my brother was a sophomore, my sister a junior, and my other brother a senior. This was after all of us went through private high school. Thank God we all got tennis scholarships, or we would be bagging groceries for a living.

momofnewP · 04-20-2008, 12:00 PM

3bm I so agree with your post. We won't get any aid. One child, two professional parents. DS may get some merit/scholarship money, but, although appreciated, it won't make much of a dent in the cost. We will have to sell off/liquidate some assets to pay for college. I cannot think of a better reason though to need to divest ourselves of assets. I believe that we are so lucky to have a healthy, bright, engaged, interested ... shall I go on?.... child that I am really happy to pay for his education.

cbreeze · 04-20-2008, 01:21 PM

DadII, if you've been a saver all your life, you won't feel any pain because you never saw or used those savings and it won't effect your lifestyle.

churning · 04-20-2008, 04:06 PM

Aw, you mean we gotta pay now? Dang, well at least I can rent out his room to pay for his room and board!! lol

paying3tuitions · 04-20-2008, 11:51 PM

It'll be okay. You'll see. If you'd bought a car, it would get worse each year. She'll get smarter and more capable each year.