Sadness at the end of winter break

patient
Tue, 18 Jan 2005 12:17:44 +0000

This reminds me of the thread about “tough going back after winter break”, only this time more from the parents’ perspective.

I am in the crowd who felt much sadder this time, than when he first left in September. I think that it was combination of things: in September, the weather was glorious and there was so much excitement and newness; this time, the weather was dreary and cold, and he was going back for a much longer stretch; and there is just this sense that–although he is clearly always happy to be home–I know that he is on his way to his own life and our days with him as a daily part of our lives are a treasured memory. Of course, I still delight in watching him shape his adult life…but I miss him very much nonethless. So to the OP and others, I share your feelings.

I remember the eloquent note Soozievt wrote about her daughter when she left for Brown in the fall–just sharing what a pleasure her daughter has been and continues to be. I feel the same way about my son. I truly take no credit for the delightful young man he is (unless you count “parenting by negative example”), but I am just so grateful that he is part of our lives.