<p>Now that the fever over acceptances has settled and students move into the decision making process, it can be a time for reflection. Somehow, the realities of the college application and acceptance process can put things into perspective. These are not necessarily reflections about the college process, but the experiences we parents now recognize as being significant or overlooked within our children’s life. </p>
<p>What do you wish you had done differently, could redo, cherish the most, or will strive to maintain from their “childhood”?</p>
<p>The past 18 years of my child’s life suddenly seems like a blur to me. The past month has thrown me into a state of nostalgia. Wondering if others are feeling similar?</p>
<p>My total excitement for their future is tempered with a sense of loss.</p>
<p>I think all of us have (or will have) similar feelings. Just wait till they are ALL out of the house. Especially with her work hours, it’s amazing how often my wife and I now do not even get together for dinner at all since the nest has emptied out! I’ve totally switched my eating habits so that now my “main” meal is at lunch (at work). My wife (who’s name escapes me at the moment) and I have to make dates to get together for dinner. </p>
<p>Here’s what I’m going to do this summer to strive to maintain, just for a moment, my children’s childhood:</p>
<p>We’re going to stay up till midnight in June this summer - go to our neighborhood bookstore, as in the past 5 years, and buy the latest – and FINAL - volume of Harry Potter. </p>
<p>And then, truly, my children’s childhood will be over…</p>
<p>Katliamom, we’re going to do the same thing. Zoosergirl and I have been to all the Harry Potter parties and I am ridiculously grateful that the last will occur while she is still at home.</p>
<p>Now that the decision is made, I have this sense of having closed a circle with ZG. I remember how passionately in love I was when she was born and how excited about the things yet to come. Over the last 17 years, day-to-day life has impeded my view a little bit, but for numerous reasons this spring, I’m seeing her again with brand new eyes. Not as a new baby whose personality and self were yet to be discovered, but as a woman whom I like, respect, admire – and whom I love as passionately as I ever did. I was thinking about this the other night. She has accepted a place at a private college that will require her own financial contribution and she showed me how much money she saved the other night and I was surprised by her seriousness of commitment, and I looked across the table at her and told her “I wish there was some way I could convey to you how much I love you.” Of course there isn’t, but I hope she knows anyway.</p>
<p>Sitting here at the computer, I just heard my daughter running to her room above me.</p>
<p>It sure wasn’t the pitter patter of those baby feet which I was so enamored by, but am I ever going to miss that light shaking, floor squeaking, picture moving streak of life and energy.</p>
<p>^^Lucky you…when my S comes back to visit, he spends very little time with us. He’s running off from place to place to see other friends who are at home from school. They often plan an out of town outing with our hometown being simply a place to all meet. When I told S I was looking forward to seeing him next weekend (Easter break), he told me that he wouldn’t arrive at home until Thurs. night and plans to spend Fri. and Sat. hiking with “the boys” and will return back to school on Sunday. So I’ll be lucky if I see him for a couple of hours total!<br>
It may not be this way for your kids but always has been like this for my S, rush in, say hi, rush off somewhere else. It’s a little disappointing for us but on the other hand, it has been nice to see that his tight knit group of high school friends still loves to be together even though they are all college sophs.</p>
<p>PackMom, my D is JUST like your son. Very stingy with her presence. It’s nice they continue to have a rich social life “at home,” - but still a tad disappointing.</p>
<p>katliamom, I’m glad to hear someone else has this same situation. I was beginning to think it was just me. One of my friends has a S who comes home way more often than mine (they attend the same univ.) and he spends the entire weekend hanging around the house with his parents. I’ll have to admit that I’m somewhat jealous. I just keep trying to remind myself of my own college years and how “hanging out with the folks” was not at the top of my priority list either.</p>
<p>I’m so ready for my youngest to leave for college. These feelings are not indicative of any animosity or ill-feeling toward her. It’s what my wife and I have spent the past 17+ years preparing her for. Now it’s time to leave the nest. I see that as a cause for celebration.</p>
<p>I agree whafrat2. Even though I wish S would spend a few more minutes with us when he is home for a visit, I don’t miss all the antics and stress of of high school. Now if 17 year old S2 would just come up with a post h.s. plan…I’m afraid he may not leave at all,lol</p>
<p>High school is such a whirlwind. S1 definitely pulled away during his senior year becoming very independent, running his own life. That was a good thing and I’m glad we allowed him to do it without hovering too closely or clinging too tightly. It totally prepared us and him for his departure to college.</p>
<p>[S1 definitely pulled away during his senior year becoming very independent, running his own life. That was a good thing and I’m glad we allowed him to do it without hovering too closely or clinging too tightly. It totally prepared us and him for his departure to college]</p>
<p>This seems like a very natural progression in your house. For us, high school life didn’t seem to be a strong influence and we spent many times heading out on adventures as a family. DD picked the activities she wanted to be involved in carefully and enjoyed trying new things on her own. I never really considered this before, but she too was preparing for college in her own way.</p>
<p>I’ve been becoming increasingly maudllin for some time with my senior only several months away from heading out to college. He just turned 18, and we were at the doctors office yesterday getting a physical for ROTC.</p>
<p>It occurred to me that, under privacy laws, I no longer have “standing” to receive any information about his personal affairs from the doctor, college, or anyone else. He’s legallly an adult. Somewhere between training wheels and his first car did this development suddenly occur.</p>
<p>I am not looking forward to dropping him off at Penn State next AUgust, because I know that on many levels things will never be the same. Might be better in many ways, but never “the same”.</p>
<p>You seniors out there, be aware that your parents are undergoing some really emotional turmoil as these dates approach. Go easy on us when we need it.</p>
<p>I know that on many levels things will never be the same. Might be better in many ways, but never “the same”</p>
<p>I think we all believe that we are helping our children to move forward in a positive direction and that this is a good thing! What happens for me is that the period between training wheels and driving seems like it happened too fast and there are times when I dream of a replay/redo. </p>
<p>Having one DS finishing his freshman year, I would compare this to having a baby…ignorance is bliss. When it’s time for giving birth to #2, you know what to expect and you now have reason to worry/panic! </p>
<p>I so don’t want to experience the emotions of the good bye again!</p>