I am looking forward for this summer for DD to finally do nothing, just relax. Every summer as far as I can remember she was taking college classes, attended summer intensive program for her sport, did research and worked. She is a freelancer and works year around. But she can work from anywhere, so hopefully we can plan long vacation this year.
I might have to prepare empty nest syndrome. lolā¦ Peter Hammillās Autumn might be the best song for preparing.
I strongly support DDās plan to have a gap year. Sheās still 16 years old and it will help her to get into new era of her life.
It seems like we have few 16 years old kids here. My DD is 16 as well.
My next one up is 14 now. He will start high school next year. We adopted him from Central America when he was three. There have been a lot of issues. School has been rough but we are hoping high school will be better.
S16 took hubbyās car out tonight and apparently slid in the rain and hit a curb. He is fine. I was totally freaked out when I saw his number come up on my phone. Iām so glad no one is hurt. Dh went to the movies with S13, so now instead of going to bed early, Iām waiting up to tell him about this and keep him from getting too mad. Never a dull moment.
@CAMidwestMom I am so glad no one is hurt. Everything else can be fixed.
@lvmjac1, definitely the Baltic cruise. It is well worth the hoodie. Not sure about our summer plans, hoping we can roll up a celebration that includes D16ās graduation, our 25th anniversary, and a big birthday as well. Love hearing all your plansābanking the ideas.
How long will your kiddos have off between graduation and the start of college? D graduates in mid-June and most all of her colleges start the first or second week of August, so pretty short summer compared to her HS breaks. Weāre not planning any big trips - D has been SO busy with trips, tours, classes and projects of her own making every summer for years that between the short summer and the need for some downtime sheāll be taking it easy-well, for her, easy, anyway. She wants to get back to helping out at the summer camp where she started as a camper years ago. Last year she just didnāt have time. It doesnāt pay anything, but as a future teacher sheās happy to do it for free.
D is another one of the 16-year-olds. I asked her one day about a gap year and she laughed. So Iām guessing thatās a ānoā. OTOH, my older D did take a gap year, two actually, and it really benefited her. But this one is much more focused.
@CAMidwestMom glad you son is ok! I grew up in the Northeast and Iām sure my mom worried every time any of us kids drove anywhere in the winters.
We are doing Iceland for D16ās graduation tripā¦possibly Scotland too. Hubby and I went to Iceland for our honeymoon 25 years ago. It was awesome. We always said we would go back when we had kids to go pony trekking.
D is 16 as well. She took the car put on her own tonight (2nd time since getting her license) to meet up with her old marching band buddies at Dennyās. Texted me when she arrived safely. My heart has been in my throat since she walked out the door. I canāt imagine her moving out for college! I suggested a gap year as well, but sheād have none of that. Says sheās afraid sheād lose her motivation.
Suddenly I am understanding all the posts about students just now getting their licenses! This is a young crew here! 
My daughter is an āoldā senior, with a November birthday, so sheās actually a legal adult now 
Some amazing celebratory summer plans here! We donāt have anything special planned at this pointā¦the college visits have caused the travel budget and frequent flier accounts to take quite the hit this year, haha. I suppose spending the summer training for mountain races in Alaska sounds exotic, but itās happening in our ābackyardā She will probably be working too, saving up for the upcoming year. Iād really like to try and do a road trip to take her to college though, so perhaps some excitement ahead! Weāll see.
Congrats @carolinamom2boys on the newest acceptance!
Mine are middle-ish seniors at seventeen. But D is immature enough no one really wants to see her on the road begind 2000 lbs of steel (or even fiberglass or plastic)ā¦least of all her. And S, I think, aspires to having his own driver on staff as an adult. Even the fact that his girlfriend- who is younger- has a car and a license isnāt inspiring him. Mercifully it looks like heāll be attending school somewhere with good public transportation, because his budget doesnāt yet extend to household staff.
Summer here, I think, is likely to involve jobs to pad the bank accounts for school.
My D just turned 17 a few days ago. Summer plans for her probably include playing tennis, reading a lot, working (she has a lucrative side hobby as an entertainer), and hanging out as much as possible with her younger brother and friends. If I asked her what she would like to do this summer, she would probably say āsleep in every day.ā Still looking at finances. I promised my kids a spring break trip to NYC, but I suspect that if she gets into other schools weāll have expenses for admit days. Thinking about a cruise or Hawaii (Big Island), but it will depend on where she eventually goes and what are finances look at that time.
Thanks @GoodGrief16 I have an old senior as well. He just turned 18, but didnāt get his license until he turned 17 even though in this state you can get your permit at 15. My younger son is now old enough for to get his permit, but not mature enough and he will wait.
I didnāt realize we had a young crew here either! My dd is 17, turning 18 in the summer. No summer plans made yet.
@Waiting2exhale thank you! You are very kind to say that!
My wifeās parents are taking S16 to England this summer, and his church youth group is going to Boston. Iām not sure there will be any time for a summer job.
My senior is actually an oldie. He turned 18 in September. In MO if you arenāt 5 by August first, you have to wait for K so he has always been one of the older kids in his grade.
My D16 turned 18 in November as well. She plans to work as camp counselor at a Girl Scout Camp this summer. Our Graduation gift to her is going to be a lifetime membership in her music society.
@dyiu13, before you have D sign up for summer classes check with the college. I was talking to S guidance counselor at my school the other day and told her I may have S take a summer course. She told me that if he takes a summer course after he graduates he wont be considered a dual enrollment student, but instead will be considered a student at the CC and will have to take the required 60 units and then transfer. This is in California so I donāt know if it is different in other states. I love the advice, especially looking into grad school requirements.
@carolinamom2boys, congratulations!!!
@Ballerina2016, I am looking at the same thing for S, just a summer to chill. He has interned with a congressman the past 3 years, so he is even saying we wants a summer to do nothing.
As for age, S is still 17 but will be 18 by the time he graduates.
@CAMidwestMom, I am the same way, whenever S leaves I get worried. I have had several former students who have been killed in car accidents and so, like I said, when S leaves it worries me.
@GoodGrief16, I always thought the idea of a going-to-drop-my-kid-off-at-college road trip sounds like fun. It also sounds like a ācoming of ageā movie.
All these acceptances and now you guys are talking about deposits and we havenāt even gotten our first official acceptance here yet and wonāt hear until March.
My DS also turned 18 last September. Weāre among the oldest parents on the board, and heās among the oldest kids.
No plans for next summer yet. He graduates in early May, so it could be a long summer.
Congrats @carolinamom2boys!