<p>note to somemom:</p>
<p>I usually don’t like shoot-outs but in this case it was a perfect end to the season and his high school career even though my son’s team lost. The winner - not us - had to go on to play the #1 public school team in the state. That game wasn’t close - ended 7-1. It would have been a bad way to end.</p>
<p>You guys have made me teary with the re-realization that I don’t get to watch my boys (all in college) in their numerous activities. Cross-country, track, band and choir were such major events for us for so many years. We attended an in town cross-country meet this fall to support the team even though we no longer had kids there, and it was really hard! It makes us miss our boys so much. Now, I’m wondering if I can bear to attend the spring home track meets. We not only miss our boys, we miss their friends and as jrpar said “the parents we’ve become friends with in the stands!”</p>
<p>But, life does go on, and I’ve found that it’s better if I just don’t dwell on all that and get on board for the new things the boys are doing. Our oldest son has now taken up cycling in college, and although we can’t be there very often, I look forward to reading about the races on the internet and accessing the results as soon as they are posted. Youngest son just joined the crew team, so will get to hopefully travel to several meets sometime for that. It’s not that we don’t have other interests, or that we’re “living through our kids”, but we just have so much fun watching them as they grow.</p>
<p>Awwwww…the memories!</p>
<p>For some reason, my mind has started to focus on S’s upcoming last day of classes (in May). I know that the graduation ceremony is the big event, but I’m wondering how I will respond on that last school day. Just thinking about it takes me back to his very first day of school. I remember so well standing on the sidewalk and watching as he walked into the building with his teacher and embarked on what then seemed like such a long journey.</p>
<p>Back then, my wife bought one of those collage frames that had spaces for 12 grades’ worth of school photos. Early, when only a few photos were in the frame, I’d look at the grades that did not yet have pictures. The 12th grade seemed so far away. I’d stare at those blank spots wondering what adventures were in store. Slowly the spots were filled with the photos, and when the 12th grade picture was added not too long ago I was struck by the fact that there were no more empty places in the frame…</p>
<p><strong>dabs eyes</strong> I look up everyday at my two kids’ 16x20 senior pics on fireplace mantle <strong>dabs eyes again</strong></p>
<p>My daughter learned just about her entire Torah portion for her bat-mitzvah (at age 13), and reads it every year in synagogue on the anniversary of her bat-mitzvah. She says she’ll try to come home from college every year to read it, but as it’s possible she won’t, I sat in the first row so I could get the full impact of what might be the last time she reads it for us.</p>
<p>Attended D’s last swim meet 2 weeks ago (state championship) amd dive (same meet) and realized the 4 long years of early morning practice (daily), afternoon practice and then evening and weekend practice (dive and daily) was over for me. The high school stuff just seemed more involved and more rah rah than her club practices and meets. She will be continuing in college as her older sib decided to also continue football. For them they say practice is practice, to me it just feels so different. The issues of getting them to practice and what time, clean uniforms, shin splints, blah blah won’t be mine anymore!! (at least for those children, there are still 2 more in hs). But it was weird, DD was captain so she had additional responsibilities which also consumed more time.</p>
<p>There was also the time committtment from football of helping to run the concession stand and all the fund-raising. Somewhat on a smaller scale for swim/dive but still required same amount of driving and grocery shopping!! </p>
<p>My much younger nephew (7) was very excited with DD’s last swim/dive for high school. He said, “Aunt Kat now you can take me to all my baseball practices, and games and you can help me learn to pitch and I want to swim too!!” And I thought it was going to quietly wind down. HA!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Last month was my son’s last swim meet and was a relief to him but so nostaligic for us. He has been swimming since age 5 and many hours have gone into the sport. However, S2 will be swimming in HS so the meets are not over for us yet.</p>
<p>Ah, the sweet and nostalgic scent of chlorine…especially the “forgotten” swim bag, nestling deep in the trunk “scenting” the entire car and not like those little pine tree thingies that hang from the mirror! 10 years of swim meets, “I can’t find my goggles,” lane slips, the coveted new speedo, the hot coloured silicone caps, the ambiance of an indoor pool, that concession, ribbons, and the most fun of all- the relay’s. Then there are the memories of the winter outdoor practices, snow all 'round the pool, falling from the sky, the steam rising in such billows from the “warm” water, so you could not even see the kids swimming!</p>
<p>My D1 is 3rd year uni and still sees her team record times from single digit ages on the board and smiles :)</p>
<p>
formal games maybe … I know I have high hopes of someday watching my kids in our driveway and yard with our grandkids starting a new generation of basketball, lacrosse, and soccer games … and hopefully I’ll be around long enough to be a doting granddad at their games!</p>
<p>Stop it. Sniff. This thread hurts. Sniff.</p>
<p>I get teary-eyed too when reading this thread but I also thank G-d that my son played hockey and didn’t swim. I’m sure you all “enjoyed” the swimming but the good thing about hockey is that it wasn’t sitting in a hot, humid pool area waiting for hours for five minutes of my child swimming. My son wrestled in 8th grade and it was the same thing - sitting through hours of other matches.</p>
<p>On the other hand - the chances for the broken arm, ribs, and collarbone (twice) that my son endured over the years are pretty slim in swimming.</p>
<p>I also tell younger parents to put their children on skates early and keep them off the soccer field. I know soccer is the world sport but I sat through thousands of hours of travel soccer games and drove an equal number of hours to get to the games. And I still don’t like soccer. </p>
<p>Last thought - women’s sports. I think it’s really unfair to women that women’s field hockey and lacrosse are non-contact sports. My oldest daughter is extremely strong - it always seemed unfair to me that she was at a disadvantage to the girls who were faster. If these sports would have been contact, she would have had a fairer shot. And I would think women would want to experience contact sports - whether we like it or not life is a contact sport.</p>
<p>Okay, okay, now that I know that we are all sniffling together, we can collectively start planning graduation parties?? Not yet, mine still has to hear from all his colleges!!</p>
<p>I have a video of his last forensics finals if anyone wants to see it, BTW! Sounds perfect for the grad party!</p>
<p>The last time… my son’s last band concert, senior year high school. Plays trumpet with the sweetest tone you could ever wish for. Had a solo in American Elegy (piece written for Columbine). The whole audience was a bit teary, it was such a beautiful solo, so I didn’t feel alone.</p>
<p>This will sound silly to experienced CCer’s who have kids in high school, but over the weekend our son turned 12…I felt a little blue, as if in a blink he’ll be off to college… I mentionned this to my husband. (that he would be a teen soon) and he said, “don’t worry! He’s got years of immature behavior in front of him!”…LOL…made me feel better, anyway!</p>
<p>bondnj0:</p>
<p>If your daughter likes contact tell her to try rugby! My DD is an excellent field hockey player, but thinks rugby is outta this world fun compared to FH. She only has to be cautious in transitioning from rugby to FH NOT to body check the other team!</p>
<p>If your DD is in university already, tell her to see if there is a club team, women’s rugby is an NCAA emerging sport, no $$ yet, but it is growing like crazy and a kick to watch.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Man, do I agree Carolyn. Robyrm, I feel your pain (and everyone else’s). Now when I go to school to pick up my youngers, I ache to see the playing fields, or to attend a jazz concert and miss seeing my son’s smiling face in the band. OUCH. But, I am grateful that we were blessed with these memories.</p>
<p>Hearing our son plink out a melody and then – weeks later, a jazz band performance, and his combo playing his piece, and his solo on it. Now, he’s not only 3000 miles away, but he has concluded that he doesn’t have enough drive to make his life around music. Wise, probably. But I will miss that deep thrill of hearing him connect to an audience.</p>
<p>I, too, have these “last” moments, but for some reason, I mark them as milestone moments and not sad times. I’m trying to remember any time when I was sorry to see something end. </p>
<p>Preschool was a PITA. My son rolled around in the mud every day (I had no problem with that, but the director did), and my boy loathed Circle Time. At snacktime, health conscious mothers brought mini-high fiber, carrot muffins with tiny carrots hand-piped on top, which sent every kid running to the bathroom 20 minutes later. I, otoh, brought bologna and Kraft cheese slices, which might as well have been arsenic served on crackers, as far as some of the other moms were concerned. We skipped preschool the next year and spent our days playing at the city playground, going to the zoo, and reading stories together in a rocking chair.</p>
<p>Leaving one thing behind is a step toward something unknown, but wonderful. The anticipation of what lies ahead seems to fill the moment, like ending a fascinating sentence with an exclamation point. It’s the feeling of finishing the best book you’ve ever read. Just put it down and smile. </p>
<p>I was never one of those moms standing outside of the classroom door crying on the last day of school. I love that sense of completion, a job well done. Now, what is next? Bring it on! The last day of junior high, I drove home from the school alone in the car, and I was absolutely giddy because I would never have to make that drive again, fight the traffic, or avoid hitting 12 eighth graders along the way! </p>
<p>My daughter’s high school graduation was a celebration! I remember telling her on the football field, after the ceremony when all of the parents came down from the stands --ENJOY THIS MOMENT and have a wonderful time tonight. A quick hug, a moment to linger in the fresh Hawaiian lei around her neck, and she was swept off by her boyfriend to the all-night grad party. A job well done.</p>
<p>Enjoy these moments. Make your memories happy ones. Push that happy feeling as far as it will go and let it dominate. The music will always be there. Bring your mini-DV camcorder and cry over the “lasts” later on. I believe this is why camcorders were invented in the first place. But, all of our hard work as parents deserves overwhelming joyfulness. This is a time of real celebration.</p>
<p>And, if I can get my son through his senior year in high school, I will be joyful, too! :)</p>
<p>I agree sluggbugg! I’m not really sad about some of these “lasts”. I am very excited for my son to move on to the next stage of his life and it is time. We’re on the countdown to graduation day in our house, and it will be a celebration. </p>
<p>Your description of the end of junior high reminded me of how I felt after the last Little League game years ago. The parents were all practically forming a conga line to celebrate our release from this stage of baseball (anyone who has ever sat in the stands watching a 10 year old pitch after giving up the maximum walks will know what I am talking about). I still remember turning out of the parking lot - I was almost giddy too.</p>
<p>What I WON’T miss is having a kid who has to be up and out of the house before 6:45 AM. This has been the situation for us for the past 6 years, as my younger began our 10-12 h.s. right after my son graduated. I am looking forward to waking up at a more normal hour, like 7:30 AM.</p>