Anonymous wrote:Branching off a bit, but thinking of the month (approx) break next month. Are your college kids planning on working part time or contacting their summer job employer for a few days of work? I’m hoping my freshman college daughter does and I suggested as much to her. I wasn’t blown away by her enthusiasm though. I had thought she’d be eager to earn some spending money for spring semester. I’m thinking she will, maybe just didn’t want to hear reality this week!

I have a junior and she’s never been able to find a job for that short period. If they have a job they can go back to for a few weeks, that’s great though. What she will do is apply far and wide for summer internships, see friends and family, take a mental health break, go to the gym etc.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of it. My son with a serious mental illness is home from school. He’s decided to stop taking his medication and got a medical marijuana card. It took years to get him in a good place to be able to go to college and now this. I feel like he must hate me for doing this. I thought we were past the hard part.

This sounds tough for sure, but why assume he "must hate [you] for doing this"? Maybe there is something about the medication that he doesn't like? Presumably / hopefully he talked about the risks, pros, and cons of dropping the medication and substituting w/ marijuana with the healthcare provider who gave him the medical marijuana card? Regardless, I wouldn't take it as a personal slight to you.

Branching off a bit, but thinking of the month (approx) break next month. Are your college kids planning on working part time or contacting their summer job employer for a few days of work? I’m hoping my freshman college daughter does and I suggested as much to her. I wasn’t blown away by her enthusiasm though. I had thought she’d be eager to earn some spending money for spring semester. I’m thinking she will, maybe just didn’t want to hear reality this week!

So far none. But you can start to see certain patterns that were here before they went to college starting to emerge. They are happy to be home - sleep in their own bed and not have to do much of anything. It's such a short break I'm not sure there is time for much tension - winter break might be a different story.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean my oldest has spent the last couple of years conjuring a weird narrative about how she had a shitty childhood and bad parents and I suspect that’s being encouraged by a therapist. So that’s been fun.

I’m sorry to hear this. Another tough situation.

She didn't, of course. She's just always been drawn to tragedy -- goes out of her way to befriend people who've lost parents/siblings, the ones struggling with depression and suicide ideation (she went through a phase of that herself, hence the therapist). We, her parents, did divorce five years ago and so that's legit trauma we've tried to help her through. But that's the only real tragedy in her life. Otherwise, she's wanted for nothing, had loads of support growing up, was always encouraged and cheered through her various interests. She's high-achieving, etc. But has somehow decided we sucked. She loves to lecture us on how we parent her sister (who's now a college student herself), has a history of being easily aggrieved by alleged wrong-doing by other parties (i.e. teammates, other parents in marching band in HS, teachers ... ). A year ago she floated the question of whether she had been sexually abused to her uncle (she wasn't). It's the weirdest thing. It's like she wants to wallow in tragedy and doesn't really have any in her life so she is inventing it.

None whatsoever. When they are home it’s always the best thing ever, they get along and we all get along well. The dogs are happy too. They have been home for a week but leave today so that sucks.

Anonymous wrote:I mean my oldest has spent the last couple of years conjuring a weird narrative about how she had a shitty childhood and bad parents and I suspect that’s being encouraged by a therapist. So that’s been fun.

I’m sorry to hear this. Another tough situation.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of it. My son with a serious mental illness is home from school. He’s decided to stop taking his medication and got a medical marijuana card. It took years to get him in a good place to be able to go to college and now this. I feel like he must hate me for doing this. I thought we were past the hard part.

This is tough, I’m sorry to hear this.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of it. My son with a serious mental illness is home from school. He’s decided to stop taking his medication and got a medical marijuana card. It took years to get him in a good place to be able to go to college and now this. I feel like he must hate me for doing this. I thought we were past the hard part.

I’m so sorry. That must be gutting. Sending strength.

I find it’s always awesome the first few days, then I get a bit annoyed with the not offering of help until I have to ask. And so it goes.

I mean my oldest has spent the last couple of years conjuring a weird narrative about how she had a shitty childhood and bad parents and I suspect that’s being encouraged by a therapist. So that’s been fun.

Lots of it. My son with a serious mental illness is home from school. He’s decided to stop taking his medication and got a medical marijuana card. It took years to get him in a good place to be able to go to college and now this. I feel like he must hate me for doing this. I thought we were past the hard part.

My DD mentioned how much she likes the toilet paper at home and how much higher quality it is than the one-ply TP at school. She also came home liking hard-boiled eggs, which she never liked before. So that's been interesting.

DC is just so happy to be sleeping in their bed and sitting on their couch. No tension.

With kids home for Thanksgiving?

Or is it all gratitude and kumbia?