<p>owlice… I’m speaking from experience here, and I hope you won’t mind my bluntness: A man who lives in your house, cheats on you, and complains about the numerous photos (, trophies, certificates, &c) of your kid all over the house… is likely most concerned over the amount of time it takes him to remove all traces of family when you’re out and he wants to have someone over. That he tries to make you feel like there’s something wrong with you because you celebrate your kid in your own home, is just more of the usual deflection and manipulation that worms like this guy use to keep lovely women like you off balance. The problem is his, not yours. But you know that already! Just one thing to add in this vein – if you’ve gotten him out of the house, have you changed all the locks yet?</p>
<p>OK, on to the survey. My walls are completely bare except for a few clocks and patches of sample paint colors. I’ve been struggling with scheduling an interior paint job for the past three years. :eek: Before that, my kiddo’s grinning, cherubic face was the first thing anyone would see on walking in the door. I used to frame and hang every single award certificate he received, but they collected dust and they came down when he developed a persistent cough (I was trying to minimize the clutter and dust traps throughout the house).</p>
<p>Most of my recent (i.e., high school) photos of him are digital. I loaded a bunch of them onto a DPF to display at his grad party and am happy to have it in the house now. I’m thinking of sending a smaller one with him. Most of my older photos of him are 4x6 prints in an endless array of disorganized boxes. I went through some of those this year, but hope to really tackle them next year and make some albums.</p>
<p>I’m now into making shadowboxes for him – one for each major event of his favorite ECs, one for prom with his boutonniere/ticket/photo, one for graduation with his tassel/diploma/honor cord, et cetera. He seems to like those. I love them because they bring back such nice memories. I intend to pass them on to him when he moves into a place of his own, unless he decides to take some to the dorm.</p>
<p>If your kid is happy (and maybe even slightly embarrassed) at the amount of wall/surface space dedicated to memories of him, I think you’re doing great. :)</p>
<p>ETA:
Under those particular circumstances, for one so self-absorbed, all too normal.</p>