<p>TK, I like your idea of sending them off to breakfast - that’s truly thoughtful and should be close to a win/win. Good luck.</p>
<p>As with so many things, how to get the kid(s) to college and whom to bring along is a family by family, situation by situation decision. </p>
<p>We have always moved D with the whole family, because the logistics worked best, she wanted it that way, and her brothers wanted to come along. S1 has been a huge help every time, both in lifting/toting and in keeping S2 busy outside when he needed to run around. The boys have always enjoyed it; believe me, they’d let me know if they were miserable.</p>
<p>I’ve posted before/elsewhere that we probably wouldn’t have taken S2 (a 4 yo at the time) for D’s first move-in if she’d moved in with the whole class, but she moved in with the fall athletes, so it was a smallish group, and he was never in the way. In fact, he was a great ice breaker for his sister: Everybody wanted to meet the little kid. </p>
<p>Also, D & S1’s school is small, so even on the regular first-year move-in day, you’re only talking about +/- 350 kids, spread out over a big campus. </p>
<p>I can easily imagine different schools/configurations that would have led us to decide differently - I sure wouldn’t take sibs to a Harvard freshman move-in, for example, because of the parking situation (among other things), or a big state school where literally thousands of kids were moving in. But I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule about bringing siblings. It’s what works for your family, your kid’s school, your circumstances.</p>
<p>S’s move-in is on Sunday. He’s spent the summer working on the kitchen crew at a camp in NH, and has no internet access. So, the only way I can contact him is via text/cell phone. Always a “man of few words,” I hadn’t heard from him in over a week. I sent him a text and left him a voice mail over the weekend asking him to call so we could finalize what time I will pick him up on Thursday – he’s on an island and I need to know what time the boat will get in. Anyway, after not hearing a thing from him all weekend, I sent him this text yesterday: “OK buddy, here’s the deal. If you don’t call me today, I’ll embarrass you by calling K___ (the camp director) to see if you’re all right.” Needless to say, he called last night. After sorting out pick up details I told him he’s going to be REALLY embarrassed when I show up at his dorm room at WPI to find out if he’s OK! He said he’d try to remember to call more often … (he knows I’d do it since we’re not all that far away.) Ah-h-h, the male species!! So unlike D, who calls/texts over every little thing.</p>
<p>Speaking of cars … when D started driving to HS (30 min. each way) we got a 3rd car. It stayed home when she started college, and then S drove it to HS, also 30 min each way. Now D is a college senior, and she has the car at school. Reality is setting is as she’s paying for all car associated expenses – gas, oil changes, & on campus parking, which is quite pricey.</p>
<p>Oh, and for those asking about #theorymom – I’m pretty sure her plans were to be “away from civilization” until drop-off at WPI on Sunday.</p>
<p>CBBBlinker, I love your text threat - and its results. </p>
<p>One other thought people might want to factor into the decision about whether or not siblings come along is that not all schools have Parent/Family weekends in the fall; some have them in the spring. So there might not be a natural opportunity to visit for quite some time.</p>
<p>We initially assumed D2 (HS sophomore) would stay home when we take D1 to move in, as it conflicts with her first day of school next Monday. But then I thought maybe I should let her make the choice - part of my effort to start treating them more like young adults and not kids for whom I make all the decisions. She has still opted to stay home, but I think she appreciated being asked. (And family weekend is only a couple months away :))</p>
<p>CBBBlinker - Love the text threat! Good luck retrieving him, and with the drop off on Sunday. And if you see #tm, give her my best. I realized I will be just up the road from Worcester, dropping D off at Brandeis in Waltham on Sunday. Too bad we don’t have CC flags or decals so we could recognize each other as we pass on the Mass Turnpike!</p>
<p>Centraleagle, happy birthday in advance. AARP has great discounts. My H turned 50 years ago and refused to admit it: Frugal Fanny here is all about getting more for less, so I’d say find a good travel deal out there and have some fun. :-)</p>
<p>After all the shopping and packing and being at school for three weeks D2 has decided that she needs …slippers! She has had slippers over the years but NEVER wore them. From what I understand the floors there aren’t as clean as the ones at home. Any recommendations for good warm slippers? :)</p>
<p>Check online for the dorm – S’s school had a land line. He never used it. We never even had the number! He said the school occasionally sent out blast VMs to everyone on it.</p>
<p>On bringing siblings to college move-in/orientation. We didn’t bring D2 when we dropped off D1. I am glad we didn’t. It allowed us to focus just on D1. It is so hectic that it was nice to not have another person(s) to worry/think about.</p>
<p>On warm slipper (for NorthMN) - I love my UGG slippers. Nice and warm/cozy.</p>
<p>To downtoearth - If they have cell phones, probably no need for land line. My older D didn’t have one and didn’t miss it. My younger D (who just moved into dorm yesterday) has one, but I can’t imagine how/when they will use it. I suppose if you have limited cell minutes, it is good for local calls/dorm to dorm calls. But the long distance charges were pretty ridiculous (we opted out of long-distance access).</p>
<p>On to orientation . . . meet the advisers, department heads, general info sessions, and family picnic. . . then head home. Husband is being VERY quiet/subdued. I think this is bothering him more than he is letting on. In fact D was kidding him at dinner last night (as he said nothing through the entire meal) – “Come on dad, stop talking so much, don’t you think that we would like to get a word in edgewise???”</p>
<p>Interesting development on the home front. This morning I noted my son updated his relationship status on facebook to say that he is now “single.” I knew he and girlfriend were planning on breaking up before they left for school, but she was here until 11 or so on Friday and they went to the PGA Championship together on Saturday. As I said, he just left with H on this mini road trip, but he never said anything. I asked younger D if he said anything to her and nope, nada. They both leave around the end of the month, so maybe it’s more of a preemptive strike or they got into some tiff about who was going to be doing what and so broke up. I am hoping it’s the former because I know that sooner or later it would have been the latter. :)</p>
<p>On the subject of taking siblings, look at the planned activites. If it’s just moving in, no problem letting them come along if they want. But if it’s three days of speeches, think twice. Or, if they want to come, let them bring the Gameboy, portable DVD player, etc. to amuse themselves in the student center during all the speeches.</p>
<p>Son called last night - his team came in 10th out of 12th in the final Pirate relay. Each team member participated in only one leg of the relay and you’ll love this - Son was on the brain teasers team. Brain teasers was the next to last event and they finished 3 full minutes before any other team but due to some rule or another, were only allowed to start the final event (at which they sucked) 30 seconds ahead. That kind of arbitary irrational rule really bugs an Aspie, but Son is savvy enough to vent to us, not to anyone else.</p>
<p>LOL… actually Missypie, my son would be seething as well only because he can be very competitive. A relay relies on the individual strengths of team members, where if one comes up short, the other legs might be clearly advantaged. And let’s just say, he would have been pretty vocal about it, albeit in a very diplomatic and lawyerly way. He SAYS he’s majoring in sciences, but I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if he doesn’t end up at law school at some point. </p>
<p>As an aside, he also hates participation awards, medals, trophies and always has. You either win or you don’t, and there is no shame in not winning as long as you never quit along the way. He doesn’t need to win, he only needs to know he gave it his best to be OK with losing. I rather like his take on that stuff; it’s intense, but grounded.</p>
<p>Lol, I’m a lawyer and that’s the first thing I said - Did you lodge a complaint with the commissioner? </p>
<p>One time - and one time only - our law firm had a “Firm Olympics” at a summer event…there was race walking, volleyball, basketball, etc. and all the competitors were (very competitive) lawyers. What a disaster - there were multiple rules violations complaints after every event - some that were still being argued into the next week.</p>
<p>Just got the sweetest text from D2! I sent a card before she left for school so there would be something in her mailbox when she first opened it. Sent another last week and then another yesterday…once a week it averages. She never said a word and neither did I. She finally made her way to school post office this am and found two of the cards. She was happy and very grateful. Hope it helps smooth the transition! Will travel to see her tomorrow for a game. Am bringing slippers, Gatorade and homemade cookies.</p>
<p>NM, you’re such a good mom. I’ve been sending a few things by email (e.g. a link to *White & Nerdy *in honor of Donnie Osmond being on Dancing with the Stars) but I haven’t sent snail mail yet. Need to get on that.</p>
<p>S (heads out on Sunday) and his friends are in our dining room for their last of many years of role playing game sessions. I’ve become very fond of his friends, and I really enjoy hearing their raucous laughter fill the house.</p>
<p>My carbon monoxide detector has been going off today (I’m working on venting the house without losing too much AC on this 90+ degree day). I told them that I have planned this for years: I can’t stand the thought of them leaving me, so I’m just gonna have to kill them all. They were politely amused.</p>
<p>To NorthMinnesota–Minnetonka has some great slippers, like moccassins with furry insides. They have both slip ons and the clog type. We found some at DSW which is online as well, good prices. Also Amazon.com had some. D doesn’t want any (yet) but I’m guessing she will once it gets cool up there!</p>
So unlike D, who calls/texts over every little thing.</p>
Any recommendations for good warm slippers? :)</p>