For us, summer really is over.
Because someone here in Georgia decided school should start on August 9th. What the heck? That’s way too early!
Scary Baby has completed her first week of middle school with flying colors. Oops, no first day of school picture because that’s what happens when you are the 4th and lastborn.
While I was away for a long weekend immediately after our beach trip, the darling twins not only got Scary Baby ready for her first day of middle school, they also got themselves ready.
EARLY.
Please understand these darling twins NEVER get ready for anything EARLY.
But when I got home, they proudly shared with me their stacks and piles of things ready to go back to college.
Small stacks…remember they are cadets at a military college and are allowed to have very little in their dorm rooms!
Are those cleaning supplies?
GASP
Yes, I’m well aware this means they are more than ready to LEAVE again. I could say this with a lump in my throat. And sometimes I do get choked up.
It seems like they just got home.
The darling twins’ summer was abbreviated since they didn’t get home from Arizona until June 25th. And now they are gone again as they headed back to college this past Sunday.
Mostly, I’m proud they want to leave.
Because it means I’ve done something right in the motherhood category.
Dear fellow moms (and dads),
They are supposed to want to leave. They are supposed to want to be independent. They are supposed to want to show you that you spent 18 years raising them up right so they can survive on their own.
You are supposed to be happy for them. Your job was to prepare them for this. Your job is to celebrate the leaving.
But I won’t lie – in so many ways, the years do fly by. And you find yourself second-guessing yourself. Did you teach them the right things?
I was reminded by a good friend whose son left yesterday that if other parents would have been more encouraging and in her words that it would have been helpful if…
“…people would say something like…”he is going to have a great time” or “this is so exciting” instead of looking at me, asking how I’m going to do “letting go of my first one” and then almost watching if I’m going to burst into tears!!”
Are you reaching out and helping other moms as their children leave? Reminding a mom that her child will be fine and she did a good job is exactly what she needs to hear at a time like this.
This parenting gig is still so tough. Let’s lift each other up!
The Leaving and Letting Go
I think this would be a great place to share any tips or hindsight you have if you have sent or are about to send a child to college.
- What did you do right?
- What do you wish you would have done differently?
- How were the first few weeks after they left home?
- How was the first semester transition for you and them?
- What was the best tip another mom gave you?
Share your best tips or lessons learned because I promise you it will help another mom who is facing those same feelings and reading this today.
P.S. I got this text from Roger Leroy tonight just as I was finishing this post:
RL: Having my own room is awesome.
Me: Oh yes it is. I remember it well!! And like u, I had never had my own room…always had to share with my sister Julie.
RL: It’s kinda like living in a little apartment…
There are so many fun things about college and leaving home!
🙂
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