<p>Son’s computer arrived AND the school kept the printer so we don’t have to ship it back! He is going to be so excited.</p>
<p>Sharonohio, that sounds like what he did. There is probably some setting that needs to be changed or something.</p>
<p>Well here is an interesting twist – D has been pretty blase about leaving for college until today. She got a message from her room mate this morning (who is from Beijing!) She has arrived on campus for the pre-orientation session for international students and has moved into the dorm room. Now D is raring to go - even called the school to see if she could move into the dorm early (which is an option if you live more than 450 miles from the school) and is waiting a call back. Oh how things can change in the blink of an eye!</p>
<p>So D has been home since last Friday and yesterday asked me if she could change her flight back to Orlando from Monday to SUNDAY!! :eek: In the meantime, I haven’t been able to hold her down at home (friends and get-togethers all week) for more than a few minutes at a time to discuss some things before she leaves again!</p>
<p>Good luck to all your S’s and D’s as they leave in the next few weekss!!</p>
<p>OK, now it really seems real to me, D got her housing assignment today and did get the roommate she wanted, so that’s a big yay! Down side is that she was assigned a triple, which she did NOT request, but I’m sure she will adapt. We’re hoping that a triple means a larger room? Good thing is that she’s moving in early because she’s doing that community service program the weekend before move in so at least she’ll have her choice of bed and side of the room, etc.</p>
<p>Son hasn’t taken his ADD meds for two days. He’s got to be one of the most ADD people on earth. If he doesn’t take his meds at school, he will absolutely positively have a one semester college career.</p>
<p>Due to lack of ADD meds, the only progress he’s made with iTunes is for the tech support person to confirm that yes, the songs are absolutely not there. (Since his girlfriend transfered hers the same way last year they’ve changed the software.) 1400 songs, about 1000 of them purchased. I told him that if he called iTunes, they could restore them to the original computer and then he could pay for tech support to tell him how to transfer the songs the right way. But again, too ADD to spend time on the phone with tech support.</p>
<p>Off to pick D13 up fro may be her last tap dance lesson ever (she’s dropping dance to have time for competitive cheer.) Too many changes…hope I don’t embarrass myself in the dance waiting room by bursting into tears (that will not really be about tap dance at all.)</p>
<p>took d for med test today, and unfortunately she now needs to have a biopsy done-- scheduled for Friday, day before she leaves for college. scary, though still have faith will turn out to be a non life threatening dx. feel so much for her to have to deal w this now. (although I am glad she is still home of course in order to get the tests done–results won’t be in til next week, and she’ll already be in the midst of her week long orientation) I am trying to stay on top of all the emotions, and the many things to take care of…so d and I baked brownies and will now snuggle on the couch with our golden to watch episodes of the Office…</p>
<p>having been on here for last couple of years, I’ve seen so many families go thru a variety of challenges and it always reminds me how we are all touched by things at different points and we all get thru it. as do our kids…</p>
<p>Thinking of you and D, lindz!!! Hugs!!! Will say a prayer and send healing thoughts!</p>
<p>Puts all in perspective. Hugs and prayers for you that all will turn out well.</p>
<p>Hugs to you and your daughter lindz. Please know we’re lifting you both up this week in thoughts and prayers.</p>
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<p>Hugs to you missypie. Look over at me on my waiting room bench and we can do the tears thing together! My 14 year old daughter is giving up her competitive dance team now that she is entering high school and wants to focus on other things. It’s best for her and us, but it’s the closing of a big chapter in her life and in mine. Sending one off to high school and one off to college at the same time = lots of changes that aren’t all that easy!</p>
<p>Lindz, I am sending positive thoughts and prayers for your D and you.</p>
<p>Lindz hope everything turns out okay for your D.</p>
<p>Hi missypie, I also have an almost 13-year old at home who is doing competitive cheerleading.</p>
<p>Good luck lindz. My thoughts are with you…</p>
<p>Oh, lindz. Thinking of you and your D. The couch/dog/Office therapy is a great plan. Here’s hoping the results are all clear.</p>
<p>My thoughts will be with you and your D, lindz.</p>
<p>Yes, I cried at dance, but was able to wait until there were only a couple of other people there…one D done with dance, the other leaving Company, 10 years at that studio…oh, yeah, and child leaving for college tomorrow. Yes, I’m a mess.</p>
<p>I’m feeling very depressed about Son’s prospects of college success. I’m starting to feel as if this is just a charade and that we’ll be doing it all in reverse (moving him home) in December. If he displays the same level of responsiblity at college as he has at home this week, there is just no chance for academic success.</p>
<p>lindz, I’m sending positive thoughts to you and your D. Stay strong.</p>
<p>We leave a week from tomorrow for drop-off. They expect 28,000 students to be moving onto campus that day, so I’m anticipating stress will drive out any other emotion in the short-term. I have an aversion to both being in a car (6-hour drive) and crowds. </p>
<p>I also have doubts about whether our son will step up and do the work, so am trying to prepare myself for the possibility that he comes home after a single semester as well. He thinks I’m crazy and is expecting to do just fine. When he signed our contract, he was full of eye-rolls and commented that he was doing this for himself, he planned to be very successful in college, and such a contract was totally unnecessary but whatever. He understands we are “try-hards,” “fans,” and something else so could therefore not help ourselves. He loves us anyway.</p>
<p>Lindz - how scary but I will put you in my thoughts for good news. On the brighter side, as you point out, at least you’re able to get some things done while she is still at home and I am sure she is so much calmer herself because of it. Even when we don’t know what the heck we’re doing, we’re still moms who somehow are looked to to “fix it.” Lots of prayers coming your way, so dont duck when they come knockin on your door. :)</p>
<p>Missy…
I know you have a lot of different issues with your son than I ever did with my daughter. However, being ADD myself, I will tell you that this ITunes thng has probably overloaded his circuits. I know it doesn’t bode well for college if he’s not taking his medicine, but if there’s one thing I learned from my oldest D is that when things get overwhelming, she basically just shuts down. Does the school have a counseling service that offers talk therapy? Have you looked into any kind of local life coaching? Of course, one insurance generally covers and the other, it’s out of your pocket, but I think the most important thing that will help your son is for him to make connections with at least one adult who is aware of his struggles and can be a touch stone for him. Also, if he wants to understand the true ramifications for not taking his meds, he can talk to my older D who finally gets it at 24! Takes her medicine every day and wonders what the heck took her so long and gets depressed now over how much time she missed/wasted. I tell her it’s not wasted if she truly learned something along the way, but still, I get what she is saying. It will be very important for your son not to shut you out of the conversation once he is at school, for both of you. The thing I see time and again with ADD (and I know there is more going on here as well) is not taking care of problems with they’re small. So, make a deal that he will check in with his teachers during their office hours, once a week or bi-monthly for no other reason than to see if all of his work is turned in etc. If he doesn’t have an Iphone (my absolute best friend) that can remind him of appointments, papers due etc, you’ll have to come up with something different but teachers will no longer remind him that his paper is due in 3, 2, 1, tomorrow. Time management will be crucial and that’s where I think a good therapist might be helpful as well. The best thing I ever did for older D was take myself out of the equation… on some level it was similar to the blind leading the blind, but after 40 some odd years I had learned quite a bit myself, but I wasn’t the best source of help for her then. It was amazing how much more I could cheerlead from the sidelines when I didn’t have to say, “did you remember…?” </p>
<p>Also, I would definitely take the 'puter and wait in line at Apple, *****y people or not. Maybe call his girlfriend in on it to wait with him? This happened to me (somewhat) with my old computer and I cant remember how it was fixed, but it was via the genius desk for sure.</p>
<p>Missy-Have faith, a lot can change when they know they are responsible for themselves. Reassuring your S that you believe he can succeed will bolster his confidence. It is also ok to call or text every morning to say “take your meds”. My S keeps a weekly pill holder with his toothbrush so he remembers first thing in the morning. In the beginning I would check on Sundays to make sure he had refilled it and before too long we both became confident in his ability to consistenly manage the meds himself. Keep your eye on the goal, a successful college career. Whatever steps you need to take to get there are ok, even baby steps. Instant responsibility are not necessary and no 2 kids run at the same pace. Good luck.</p>