Just dropped my freshman off at the airport…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent to a 15 year old and a 17 year old…..this feels so foreign to me. I hope I miss them when they are gone but currently I miss them when they are in the house. One has been in her room all day—the other materialized to walk the dog then back to the video games. I barely see them and when I do it’s really a toss up as to whether they’ll be pleasant!
I will check back in on this in a year when I’m dropping my freshman back at the airport.

Ugh, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent to a 15 year old and a 17 year old…..this feels so foreign to me. I hope I miss them when they are gone but currently I miss them when they are in the house. One has been in her room all day—the other materialized to walk the dog then back to the video games. I barely see them and when I do it’s really a toss up as to whether they’ll be pleasant!
I will check back in on this in a year when I’m dropping my freshman back at the airport.

Np i feel that your post was unnecessarily unkind and sort of dismissive.
I feel like you could have skipped this thread since you are not in this sitiation yet. Even if you are happy to have an empty nest there are thosr who feel sadness and to have someone like you come on here and not be supportive isnt cool

DP. Disagree. I posted above about missing my kid at college, and I think this is a nice twist on the topic. And funny. I also have one I have to call on the phone when she is actually in the house! But, I know I will miss her when she heads off in the Fall.

Reread the PP. It's light and funny and, while tangential, not disrespectful at all.

I guess we have to agree to disagree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Why isn't he partying in Cancun for Spring Break? You only get four of them before the real world hits. Shouldn't waste them in your high school bedroom.

DC also plans to go somewhere for spring break instead of coming home. Are other kids still close with their HS friends, my kid missed her colleges lives and friends while back home and met with HS friends only once during the break .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Why isn't he partying in Cancun for Spring Break? You only get four of them before the real world hits. Shouldn't waste them in your high school bedroom.

DC also plans to go somewhere for spring break instead of coming home. Are other kids still close with their HS friends, my kid missed her colleges lives and friends while back home and met with HS friends only once during the break .

My kid is still very tight with his HS friends and saw them a lot, but it slowed down the last week. I hope that they all stay close . I was worried that he’d miss them and not really get that bond in college. He said the other day that he misses college a bit so I think he’s ready to go back. College is often portrayed as finding your lifelong friends so I hope he does find those connections. He’s made friends , joined a few things and has stated he likes everything , but I don’t get an over abundance of details!! My lifelong friends are mostly from elementary school, a few from HS , and none from college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Why isn't he partying in Cancun for Spring Break? You only get four of them before the real world hits. Shouldn't waste them in your high school bedroom.

Because we’re going on vacation that week (his younger brother has spring break the same week) and he’s choosing to come with us. He won’t see his “high school bedroom” until May.

[Anonymous]

We found that freshman year Thanksgiving and Winter break were big opportunities to meet up with HS friends. Spring Breaks are different for every school so less about HS friends and more about opportunities with college friends. By sophomore year, the HS friends were less involved during breaks and they were ready to go back to school to be with their new college friends. Interestingly at this later stage in life, my friend group is a few re-connected HS friends and work/neighborhood friends but no college friends - I just never made ones that were worth keeping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Why isn't he partying in Cancun for Spring Break? You only get four of them before the real world hits. Shouldn't waste them in your high school bedroom.

Because we’re going on vacation that week (his younger brother has spring break the same week) and he’s choosing to come with us. He won’t see his “high school bedroom” until May.

Most college kids want to party and get lade not hang with there younger bro, but whatever floats your boat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We found that freshman year Thanksgiving and Winter break were big opportunities to meet up with HS friends. Spring Breaks are different for every school so less about HS friends and more about opportunities with college friends. By sophomore year, the HS friends were less involved during breaks and they were ready to go back to school to be with their new college friends. Interestingly at this later stage in life, my friend group is a few re-connected HS friends and work/neighborhood friends but no college friends - I just never made ones that were worth keeping.

Same here, I had fun in college but never kept touch with anyone a few years out. Many childhood friends, work friends and friends from my town. Media does make it seem like you find your soulmate friends in college though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Well, my kiddo is 23, living independently while she attends grad school.

When she drove away after we had spent the holidays together, I also felt a wave of sadness, which surprised me.

When I have asked three other mothers independently, when that would end….they all said never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent to a 15 year old and a 17 year old…..this feels so foreign to me. I hope I miss them when they are gone but currently I miss them when they are in the house. One has been in her room all day—the other materialized to walk the dog then back to the video games. I barely see them and when I do it’s really a toss up as to whether they’ll be pleasant!
I will check back in on this in a year when I’m dropping my freshman back at the airport.

It you know where they are sleeping each night. That they are safe, who their friends are.

Not having them home is entirely different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

Why isn't he partying in Cancun for Spring Break? You only get four of them before the real world hits. Shouldn't waste them in your high school bedroom.

Because we’re going on vacation that week (his younger brother has spring break the same week) and he’s choosing to come with us. He won’t see his “high school bedroom” until May.

Most college kids want to party and get lade not hang with there younger bro, but whatever floats your boat.

Do you have a child in college? In my experience, it’s more common for juniors and seniors to spend spring break with their college friends.

[Anonymous]

Mine is a senior leaving on Thursday. I fee like this is the last long stretch she will be here. Though she has had distant internships every summer so it is not like I am used to her living at home...but still.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…and I am weepy. I thought it would be easier this time and it was compared to the fall, but I already miss him. It was so nice to have him at home for the past four weeks. We’ll see him again in March for Spring Break, so looking forward to that.

I hear you! I have a HS senior son. I am really connected to him, as he has all my strengths and all my weaknesses, so everything he experiences is extra intense, compared to my younger child. I know I will both be happy to have him spread his wings next year and be missing him. I think the best thing we can do is focus on what our next chapter is as moms and get started on that asap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh my juniors went back on Friday and I still cried. The house is so quiet and life is just a little dimmer when they are gone. I will never get used to it.

My college junior moved from his dorm room into an apartment-style dorm after break. He wanted me to help him organize his new kitchen stuff and get him settled, but I only had about 15 minutes. When I left, he was sitting at his little kitchen table, unwrapping utensils, looking every bit as old as his 10-year-old self. I walked to my car as fast I could before crying. I don't know where that came from, but something about that moment just filled me with longing to have my 10-year-old son back.

Oh gosh, that made me tear up. I relate to these posts so much. When we dropped DS off at the airport I cried, and was sad for the next few days. There was so much anticipation and excitement before his arrival, so much pleasure having him home and then it was just suddenly over. It went very fast. I’m glad I’m not alone!!