@ShrimpBurrito Loving the Iceland idea. That’s on my list. @makemesmart The laundry service is a good one.
We will most likely do a few material things and 1 experiential. For material, I try not to get things I would normally purchase anyway (like a new laptop) – that sort of feels like the “socks for Christmas” route, although a laptop is much nicer than socks lol. I just looked at the Dyson air purifier and will probably go with that. But now I may need to add on the Laundry Service! For the trip, we will give her the choice of where she’d like to go – personally I am hoping for Japan (even in the summer).
I’m just waiting to know the school because we’ll probably buy from the school. Some of them have some good deals with preloaded software and tech support including a loaner if you have issues with the one you bought from them.
We are waiting to see where D attends college before buying her a new computer as i want to treat it as a qualified educational expense under her 529 college savings plan.
Her graduation gift is helping her pay for her 3 week senior trip to Europe and then the rest of the family will meet up with her in Greece for a vacation.
I’d really like to one of those parents who can just let go. But for now, I think i’m going to have to cling on to the air purifier and laundry service as control proxies.
@fencingmom
I will be nervous to let DS be on his own too, I also want to spend as much time with DS this coming summer as possible, before he starts his college life. @bigmacbeth
I sure wish I could just hand DS a laundry soap. I used to dream of having him iron his dress shirt. I lost that battle and decided to move on. ?
Re laptop, I thought many schools would have some recommendations/minimal requirements? Also, don’t they come out newer versions like every other months? So I thought it is better to wait for another six months or so to buy.
@fencingmom D20 will not be doing Europe on her own. She will be traveling with a company that caters to young adult travelers. The tour that we picked is one that my sister has done and can give her a lot on inside as to what to expect. The way I like to think about it is that in just 9 months she’ll be going out to college, I feel that I am preparing myself for the realization that she will be making decisions on her own, most of the time without parental supervision. She had already being gone for three-weeks for summer camps all thru high school, so we believe she is responsible enough.
@socaldad2002 That’s a good reminder about 529 distributions. But, as long as you make the distribution in 2019, and the computer is used in college, then I believe you’re fine to buy it now ‘using’ 529 funds.
In our case, the 529 will probably run a little short of 4 years of tuition and room & board, unfortunately. So, for us it doesn’t really matter where the money is coming from.
D20 just hit submit on the UC application which finished her application process, almost. She has to do supplements for 2 of those for theatre which are due December 9. But, what a great feeling! I wish we did not have to wait until March for results.
We are planning to get her a new laptop before college. And would love to do a European trip with her but not sure if that will actually happen.
I just checked Dh list. Dd actually applied to 18 colleges. I had told him that some of the RD ones could wait until she got some of the EA results but he would not listen. She had some fee waivers so that helped.
I understand the hesitation to send a kid out of the country for weeks on their own but they can get hurt anywhere. Just in the past two days I have heard about two college students being killed while at school. One by her roommate and the roommate’s boyfriend and one by a criminal out on bail who abducted her at a convenience store and killed her.
@fencingmom I have a two DS, one class of 2019, the other 2020. Also DD, class of 2017. She went to SE Asia over her HS summer break. I wanted the boys to go as well. They were both in Language Honor Societies and asked to do two and half weeks in Europe instead. Wife was reluctant but eventually bought in. I had both go together so they had accountability for each other and are very close in age (14 months).
They have been mature and kept out of trouble their HS years and had been on out of state chaperoned trips without incident. Adding a parent or tour would have cut the visit shorter. I was worried about air travel, customs, hotels, etc. for the 17 year old but verified everything online beforehand it would be no problem with Eurail, airline, etc.
We texted them a few times daily and spoke every 24-36 hours without incident. Language skills from 4 years and 3 years respectively in class helped them navigate several transport switching issues and rail breakdown/delays. Never had any problem exiting or entering USA. We paid extra for their airfare to have direct flight from our Eastern Seaboard city to Germany and back again in case of weather, equipment failures that put them out of our reach.
The experience, according to them was very fun and they love having all their inside jokes and stories hinted at that I will hear about in my 60s, like I sprung on my parents. They went to Amsterdam unaccompanied and stayed 3 nights. Am I a bad parent for letting them do so? Frankly in a suburban US school district it is probably easier to obtain drugs if they wanted them. Red light district - hello - the internet is far worse and I know how much money they had to spend. No, I was not nervous.
The timing of their ages worked out, as did our finances. Our 25th and 30th anniversary trip plans to enjoy as a couple never materialized and better the kids see life outside their bubble. I would have let my daughter do the same (Europe) with close friend - as in one I know from elementary school, sports, church and are friends with their parents. She prefered to deepen her understanding of her mother’s culture.
Joining in and introducing myself and my kid, after lurking for a while.
This is my first time at the college app rodeo with my DS20, who is applying to 8 schools - 2 safeties, 2 matches, 1 super lottery reach (all EA), and 3 reaches (RD). 2 of the EA schools are Coalition and other 6 colleges are Common apps. His 2 safeties are the only ones that do not require an essay.
I nagged and pushed DS to complete the early apps/essays by mid October, as we needed to make sure he applied on time to the schools where he has better chances. DH and I agreed to let DS “drive” the RD apps on his own. We’re hoping that after the 5 early apps that DS has learned how to pace himself and realizes now how many revisions and drafts it takes to write a quality essay, and hopefully he will not procrastinate (too much) on the RD apps. Either way, I am less concerned. The RD apps are all reaches, so chances are not high even if he writes the perfect essay and gets everything in on time.
Congrats to everyone who is done and/or have acceptances that they are happy with. This is an incredible journey of growth and learning that we get to experience with our kids.
Our grad gift for our D20 is a trip to Europe. She has wanted to go (specifically, to Paris) forever, and I originally started saving and planning for just her and I to go a couple of years ago. This past year, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and has spent the past several months undergoing a grueling treatment regimen. At some point during this, we decided the entire family needed something to celebrate and look forward to, so it is now a trip for the four of us, we extended the time and added some other countries and could not be more excited!
Thank you! I don’t know how to edit the post - but should add that he is done with treatment and in remission now - all the more reason to celebrate with a vacation
