<p>S3 just called…while walking to the metro on his way to his internship. He had too much weekend, so all is good? But he made my day.</p>
<p><<a quick="" call="" while="" walking="" across="" campus="" makes="" my="" day="" and="" did="" not="" impinge="" on="" him="" at="" all.="">></a></p><a quick="" call="" while="" walking="" across="" campus="" makes="" my="" day="" and="" did="" not="" impinge="" on="" him="" at="" all.="">
<p>This is how I get most of my “just checking in, Mom” phone calls. Works for me!</p>
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<p>This comes up every year.</p>
<p>I tried the “every Sunday” with freshman S. This lasted 3 weeks. It felt forced and was more frustrating than no calls. Communication was fairly sparse freshman year.</p>
<p>Looking back–S graduated in 2011–, this was part of MY adjustment to a successful launch. S during college studied in and then, after graduation, worked in Asia. We did an occassional Skype, but the time difference made this a logistical/timing challange. S also solo back-packed in Asia during a summer and again at the end of his post-graduation job. </p>
<p>He went way, way, way off the grid in Cambodia and Laos. Two weeks in Laos without being able to call or email. It came easier because college had provided me the experience of having to deal with infrequent communication.</p>
<p>This issue has the potential to tell you a lot about the adjustments you have to make.</p>
<p>Hear from son on constant basis–he texts w/ H during sports games. Not that he tells us how he’s doing.</p>
<p>We get more texts than calls because DH and I live overseas. For the most part the kids remember the time difference! :)</p>
<p>I have rare boys that have always been good communicators and that did not change when they went to college. H says they inherited my “phone gene”.
The older two both called 2-3 times/week while the youngest was pretty much daily on his walk back to the dorm after classes; not long conversations, just quick chats. We all will text little tidbits (usually sports or news related) back and forth. When I really needed to speak with them, I would text “Call when you get a chance.” This would enable them to call when it was convenient for them to talk. We all just fell into a natural rhythm.</p>
<p>When our first one went off to school, he always seemed to call during the day between classes and I would then tell H all about the call when he got home. I started to see a bit of disappointment in his eyes when I would tell him about the conversations, so the next time S called, I planted a little seed that dad always had his cell with him it would be fine to call him at work. A few days later H came home beaming because S had made a special call to talk just to him.;)</p>
<p>My best advice is that when the kids do phone, try to keep the calls upbeat and not to turn them into interrogations or sermons. They are much more likely to want to chat if the calls are easygoing. Remember, these are still your kids and they’re still part of the family. Don’t make a nuisance of yourself but don’t be afraid to touch base with them either.</p>
<p>The Onion chimes in-more or less.</p>
<p>[Woman</a> Has Bizarre Ability To Share Details About Personal Life With Parents | The Onion - America’s Finest News Source](<a href=“http://www.theonion.com/articles/woman-has-bizarre-ability-to-share-details-about-p,29221/]Woman”>Woman Has Bizarre Ability To Share Details About Personal Life With Parents)</p>
<p>Lake Jr. has never been much of a conversationalist when it comes to the telephone. On the other hand, he’ll talk a blue streak if you catch him one-on-one and ask about his favorite academic subjects and extra-curricular activities. While away this summer I sent him a picture postcard twice a week with encouraging words to motivate him, and a joke or two. I’ll continue to do that now that the fall semester has begun.</p>
<p>Didn’t realize until he left that postcards aren’t as ubiquitous today as they once were. Had to visit several shops/bookstores/etc. to find the picture postcards I remember from my youth. It’s another sign that the world has spun off its axis.</p>