We are at the point with my 15 year old where we are thinking "this is our last 3 summers with her". The 10 year old is especially sad when he thinks about it. I want to pack in trips to those years, not sure if we can afford it. Its going to be so strange to just have 3 again.
Am only now catching up on your posts. I too, was the first on my dad's side to go to college. When my parents dropped me off at my dorm, the tension was so thick between me and my mom. I was on the defensive, thinking she was over reacting. I opened the door to my room and my room mate had already moved in with a CRAP load of stuff. First thing out of my mom's mouth, standing at the doorway, was in a very terse tone "Remember, we PAID for half of this room!"
Fast forward to now, I have a second semester senior in the house, but my own path is vastly different. She is on the spectrum with moderate needs. We didn't do the college tours, instead she had to get evaluated to see if she qualified for adult services after graduation. So while most kids her age were proving how smart they were, mine was proving what she was lacking in order to get into her own program. It is highly unlikely that she will ever live away from us. As she moved up each year, my dread and concerns became more and more internalized. I wish I had a pot scrubbing habit, but I don't. I just tamp it all down. It seems that no matter where your child is at, intellectually, academically, the heart aches and the heart bursts persist.
We are at the point with my 15 year old where we are thinking "this is our last 3 summers with her". The 10 year old is especially sad when he thinks about it. I want to pack in trips to those years, not sure if we can afford it. Its going to be so strange to just have 3 again.
Am only now catching up on your posts. I too, was the first on my dad's side to go to college. When my parents dropped me off at my dorm, the tension was so thick between me and my mom. I was on the defensive, thinking she was over reacting. I opened the door to my room and my room mate had already moved in with a CRAP load of stuff. First thing out of my mom's mouth, standing at the doorway, was in a very terse tone "Remember, we PAID for half of this room!"
Fast forward to now, I have a second semester senior in the house, but my own path is vastly different. She is on the spectrum with moderate needs. We didn't do the college tours, instead she had to get evaluated to see if she qualified for adult services after graduation. So while most kids her age were proving how smart they were, mine was proving what she was lacking in order to get into her own program. It is highly unlikely that she will ever live away from us. As she moved up each year, my dread and concerns became more and more internalized. I wish I had a pot scrubbing habit, but I don't. I just tamp it all down. It seems that no matter where your child is at, intellectually, academically, the heart aches and the heart bursts persist.