<p>More and more of my daughter’s friends are leaving, and as they are I have noticed she is getting crankier and crankier. Geez, maybe she’ll have some inkling as to how it feels to be the one left behind when we take her to school next month. Hmmm. . .</p>
<p>Dropped off DS yesterday. No tears, no problems, although we only live about 35 minutes away, and will see him Sunday.</p>
<p>Called his Mom 3 times yesterday, and once today, so he is staying in touch…Big doings, as he has started Football camp, with lots of stuff happening.</p>
<p>But now I am outnumbered by gender in my house. DW and DD will be driving me crazy, at least previously, son and I could commiserate, or hide out together…or look at that special “man type” project that needed immediate attention out in the shed… I feel so exposed!!!</p>
<p>D2 finishes up her last week as a camp counselor this week. Then it’s 1.5 weeks at home before she goes off as an entering frosh. D1 is going abroad for a semester. That leaves DW and DS with me at home.</p>
<p>We understand from other families who go from 3 children to 1 at home as a result of college that the family dynamics really change for the remaining child at home.</p>
<p>My D has been extremely easy to get along with most of the summer. Yesterday we had a bit of disagreement, though - she seemed to have concluded that my job is to get her ready for college (ie go out and buy her everything she needs, and get it all packed) while she makes sure to spend every last possible moment with the friends she will be leaving behind. I disagreed. I won. 
She told me today that she is planning to spend the drive to Ohio reading her required summer reading book that she got at orientation in June.</p>
<p>Good for you for winning. My life seems to consist of shopping, medical and bank trips on my days off, and then while I work, they pack and see friends. And have farewell lunches and dinners and parties, and so on. My victory was finally getting a little help with the lawn.</p>
<p>Bump, bump, bump</p>
<p>Now that son is beginning his junior year, preparing to return to school is fairly routine. Most of his things are pre-sorted into stackable plastic bins and we only need to shop for toiletries and cleaning supplies. I remember when he first left, however, that I was very sad. I had to rearrange our dining table and fill in his spot because it was just so sad for H, D and I to see his place empty. I always felt like I should see him when I passed his room. Sigh. But it got better and was really made easier by hearing how busy and excited he was about new things. I love email! We wrote every day at first, sometimes more than once. E-cards were one entertaining way I stayed in touch with him. I felt more connected by sending them and he enjoyed getting them too, and would often send a little reply note. It might be something others would enjoy, too.</p>
<p>Welllll - just got home from waving good-bye to #1 son as he arrived a week early for sports training. I thought I would be sad, but found myself laughing instead - it was sooooo “college”. Phone # to contact upon arrival had no answer, couldn’t get into dorm, discovered food service doesn’t start for two more days (team captain’s comment: “Oh, yeah, that sucks, huh. There’s a safeway down the street. Practice in 15 minutes. bye”
HE WILL BE FINE - and he’ll learn quickly to chill out and go with the flow - just like we did ‘back in the day’.
Hoping he’ll call tomorrow.</p>
<p>My S flew yesterday to work with the pre orientation team for the freshman class. This morning it was my D turn. One sophomore, one freshman, and an empty nest… It’s hard, maybe harder because my kids were always around me and now they are living a thousand miles away. I’m sure that before the tons of Kleenexes I bought for this occasion are running out, I’d be better and ready to start a new life.</p>
<p>Doing much better this year so far. I still have 4 at home, so no empty nest for a while, thanks to goodness. Last year ds#1 went from rural home in midwest to Big City University on east coast. I mailed 3 boxes in advance and we both flew out with the full allotment of bags. This year he’s going by himself and I am mailing only one box. Everything else will either come out of storage or “I’ll buy it myself when I’m out there”</p>
<p>Last year I was a frequent reader of the “We miss him, maybe he doesn’t miss us” thread. My S doesn’t like talking on the phone, rarely respond to emails and rarely chats. He simply doesn’t “get it” that just saying “everything is fine” is not enough. He’s a classic “Men are from Mars” type. I’ve been coaching him…“ok, this year I want you to turn around and wave at me before you disappear down the terminal after clearing airport security” type stuff LOL and I think we are kinda sorta on the same page about communication. Sometimes you have to just spell it out. It only takes 5 or 10 minutes of phone conversation a week beyond “It’s fine” to make this mom happy. (not that I wouldn’t take more, but I’m being realistic about the communicator I’m dealing with) When he came home this summer he was really pleasant and nice to be around and we had a great summer. I will miss him, but it’s time for him to get on with his life. It was really hard his freshman year because I didn’t have a real feel on how things were going for him. Turns out they were fine and he handled it all on his own. I think I will be worrying less this year. :-)</p>
<p>momoffive</p>
<p>I have the solution: bring your parents home!!! Ah, there is always someone who needs extra care after the kids leave for college. I have had two free years and in 3 weeks my son will escort my aging mom across the seas to live with me. It is a long story and I hope it works. And if it doesn’t, we attempted a real adventure.</p>
<p>I was doing so well… until yesterday. I was in line at the grocery store behind a dad and young son. The little boy and his dad were talking about what he could expect in first grade. I was smiling at this kid and he looked at me like I was a wierdo, so I said to the dad, “My son is leaving for college this week.” He laughed, but I had to turn away - I thought I was going to break down and cry! I had been shopping and thinking about the food I wasn’t going to have to buy next week - stuff my son likes - and I guess it hit me in the checkout line.</p>
<p>Thank goodness I’ll still have one at home. After church today we were talking with friends whose oldest son is also leaving on Wed, and their younger daughter is the same age as mine. The mom said, “We’re just not going to let the girls go, they have to stay with us!”</p>