What's it like when your college kids are home?

Parent Cafe
21

<p>S1 a sophomore. Freshman visits home were more problematic–partly because it wasn’t the best year of his life. He was twitchy. We were twitchy. </p>

<p>This past visit was awesome–though we did go travelling which was a whole lot of fun. Icing on the parent cake, as Yulsi says. DH was in boy heaven once again.</p>

<p>As this is the start of his third year away from home, I cannot be bothered with the curfew thingy anymore. I have to trust his survival/judgement skills–even when he comes in at 6 am on New Year’s Day terribly excited because he and a couple of friends climbed to the top of a downtown apartment building to watch the sunrise and were invited in through a window for a party–as they climbed past-- by some really ‘cool’ Australians (living in the cupola penthouse). </p>

<p>Ahhhhh…youth. </p>

<p>When we were travelling, he did go out with his younger brother (17) and I was more bothered about where they were and what time they were getting home. Actually got H out of bed one night because they weren’t home at 1:30 am. But as H pulled on his trousers, I heard the boys on the street below, teasing each other as they were being ferried home by a couple of cyclo drivers. </p>

<p>So…the long and short of it is…your parents may relax if and when you show enough signs of maturity.</p>

22

<p>My freshman S returned to college yesterday after almost a month home. After a day or so when he arrived in Dec it felt like he had never left. Today is a bit sad for me, because I miss talking to him. I will refrain from emailing continuously and allow him his space back at college and know that I am already looking forward to his weekly phone call home on Sunday. I also know that in a couple of days the new “normal” will return of just my H, high schooler and me.</p>

<p>I did not notice the “big change” that friends had experienced when their college student first returned for an extended stay at home. His activities did not change from his high school days. He saw his high school friends a few times, did the mandatory family stuff, and pretty much just hung around home, just like before college. Most important, at least to The Mom, he even interviewed for and lined up employment for summer here in town. YEA!!!</p>

<p>It was a very nice first semester break here.</p>