So many hugs @gallentjill
It’s so bittersweet for us all, but for a parent without a spouse for support, it must really intensify that feeling.
@gallentjill I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I was the youngest of three and lost my dad in middle school. My mom and I are so close since it was just the two of us during my last 3 years of HS. It must be really hard to let them go (I didn’t go far and I came home a lot!)
@gallentjill So sorry to hear about your loss. 
@gallentjill sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. Every milestone must be difficult, even though it means your kids are growing up. Come here to vent and let it out, it’s a good thing. Hugs!
@jellybean5 Thanks! This is a wonderful place for venting and hugs.
@gallentjill I am so sorry,venting is good for the soul and this is a great place to do it.
I’ve got a problem that I haven’t seen addressed here; maybe someone can help? Prom is in a little over two weeks and my DD hasn’t found anything to wear. She isn’t terribly interested in going, but a friend asked her so she said yes and now is in turmoil over what to wear. She is a real tomboy, hates dresses, makeup, the whole thing. She’s also embarrassed about acne on her shoulders and back, so all the revealing dresses just won’t do. Just spent an hour with her crying about how much she doesn’t want to go, doesn’t want anyone looking at her, but doesn’t want to let her friend down by cancelling. I don’t know what to do!!
@anxious711 I’m so sorry your daughter is going through this. There really is a lot of stress and body anxiety attached to prom. Would she consider going in a dressy outfit with pants? You can find some beautiful, formal looking outfits that are not revealing and don’t require a dress or skirt.
Prom clothing: My D19 (who went to prom solo, which is actually the norm for her small school) found a flowy large-pattern blue and white jumpsuit that she wore with a short white sweater (since the straps on the jumpsuit were too strappy for her taste). The crucial thing for her when shopping for her outfit was to stay as far away from the prom dress section of stores as possible, and focus on real clothes to wear that evening.
@Anxious711 - sound stressful. I think if you keep looking and ask others to help you look (online too), you can find something that doesn’t show the back and maybe covers most of her shoulders. Add some self tanner and some foundation to cover the acne and no one will notice. Having anxiety about these big social events is very normal. I think most people who are nervous about going to prom end up being glad they did (and I have a number recent examples of parents who said their kids ended up having a lot of fun despite dreading the experience) especially if they have a nice friend to go with. Maybe they can brainstorm some ways to make it more fun (eg., I saw a little group from my son’s school recently took their prom photos at IKEA and they were hilarious). However, if she is really miserable and doesn’t think she can push through, it’s best to let the friend know immediately so he can make other plans.
@Anxious711 or maybe a dress with a little jacket? Or buy a pretty cardigan to wear over the dress…you can trade out the buttons with sparkly buttons to make it more dressy. That’s an easy project.
Prom is so stressful. At one point, I told S19 that he’d better start planning ahead for senior prom and figure out who he wants to ask early. I’ve been hearing about all of the stress, though, and I think it’s just fine if he doesn’t go at all! We don’t have a junior prom so his only option is next year.
@homerdog - I wish we didn’t have prom this year. Then I’d have my $500 back! :)) At least he had a great time.
@Anxious711 About prom, my oldest D14 despised the idea of a “prom” dress. If you look at the dress and “prom” immediately comes to mind, it was definitely not the dress for her. She found her dresses in the misses dress dept of Macy’s. The first one (my favorite) was long, black, form fitting, full length, with a pretty lace details for the neck line. It was modest, yet provided the right amount of youth and sexiness. The second dress was steel blue, and entirely beaded, full length, 1920’s era, and also form fitting. I want to say they are both created by Adrianna Pappell.
@Anxious711 Saw lots of cute pantsuits/jumpsuits at prom this year! My D did wear a dress, but ordered easily from Lulus (online). Also, start now with a good body scrub made for ‘bacne”. She’ll look and hopefully feel better. Good luck!
@Anxious711 Try looking at someplace like Macy’s at jumpsuits. I see some flowy ones that look pretty dressy. If she adds a sparkly, rhinestone belt, they could look awesome. Some look like they definitely cover back and shoulders.
Hi all! I’m a parent from the Class of 2018 thread. Wanted to let you know that you all have been on our minds, and that posters over there have officially passed the baton to you guys. 
Best wishes to you and your kids. Enjoy the ride!
Thanks @suzy100 ! Congrats to all of the 2018 kids! I guess it is May 2nd, so it’s now our turn. Scary but exciting too!
My son decided to go to the prom at the last minute and of course we have nothing for him to wear. He bleached his hair for a part in the play in early March, so he has about an inch and a half of red roots and the rest blonde. He has several nice suit jackets, and he has a set of black dress pants that more or less go with everything and he has a vast collection of thrift store ties and bow ties. So we just need to find him a nice dress shirt and we should be set. And all of Saturday morning at the hair stylist oh kill me now.
This year’s prom theme is Vintage Hollywood. Kiddo helped a bit with the decorating yesterday, apparently it’s looking good.
@suzy100 and everyone else here… I can’t tell you how much anxiety and excitement that post caused… Lol
I was thinking the same thing yesterday, one year from today it will officially be over for us!
At the beginning of class I always do a check in with my 8th graders before we discuss the warm up and yesterday I was telling them the significance of May 1st (besides the Justin Timberlake memes). They were so intrigued by the whole process and are always asking me about my son’s choices. Some were confused and wanted to know what college my son had chosen… Lol!
We are visiting Lafayette and Muhlenberg this weekend. I made a list of all of my son’s choices at the moment (15) and which ones offer EA (9) and which ones he needs to schedule an interview (8). Trying to figure out a travel schedule for mid-August so that he can interview with William & Mary and then the PA LAC schools.
At the moment I’m grateful to be a teacher and have time off in the summer so that we can fit all the last college visits in and now these interviews.
Ooh. @Kona2012 Report back on Lafayette after your visit!