Reply to Dreading the empty nest - I need something to keep me busy

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]i'm also worried about my DD leaving next yr, she'a almost 17 but doesn't cook, laundry, drive, work so not sure if she's ready for college but she loves spending time with me and Dh at home.[/quote]

I say this with kindness, but I suggest to take a step back and reassess whether you are a parent or a friend to your teenager.  As they get older and more pleasant to be around, many parents start to prioritize being a friend to their teen because they truly enjoy being around them.  But you are not doing your job. It is possible to be both but you must continue to remember that as a parent it is your job to prepare your teenager to launch into the world.

This means encouraging them to learn to drive even if they seem to want to put it off.  We required both our kids to learn to drive at an age appropriate time so that we could be there to supervise it and make sure they were very confident drivers before leaving home.

This means requiring your high schooler to do their own laundry.  Yes, they are busy and there might be times that I pitch in, but this is a life skill they need to have.

This means teaching your high schooler to cook basic meals.

And yes, this means sometimes sacrificing “fun time” in order to set firm rules and requirements because it is in their best interest.[/quote]

I should add financial education to the list of must-dos.  Before they leave home your child should have some sort of part time job (babysitting, lawn mowing. Etc) and experience having their own credit card.  Learn to pay their bills and to budget.  It is unbelievable how stunted some of the college students my kids have run into at selective colleges.  Students are smart but internally have no real world skills and parents continue to enable them.  It’s embarrassing for them.  [/quote]

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