Chris in VA Posted December 15, 2018 Share Posted December 15, 2018 Not sure exactly how to phrase this, but I would like to discuss things like, have you noticed anything new in your child, are they more mature, how has being away affected your relationship, how do you feel as a parent as they come home for tge first extended visit, (are they coming home?)--that sort of thing. Maybe an ongoing thread as Dec. progresses. Up for it? I see my girly tomorrow! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 15, 2018 Share Posted December 15, 2018 I have 2 in college. BOTH of them have gained a good deal of confidence. Middle son has lost about 20 pounds and looks so good. He has a tendency to be a little pudgier (thanks to MY genetics) but he took a nutrition/exercise class this semester and has been working out and eating differently. In fact, he has asked for the all you can eat meal plan for next semester so he can go to the cafeteria more often and eat more often but smaller meals. They have a great salad/fruit/soup bar. And middle son has applied to be an RA for next year, and has put together his portfolio (creating his own short film!) and applied to his intended major, and met all the deadlines. Not bad for my ADD kid who struggled with Executive Functioning issues. Oh, and he has maintained a very strong GPA. Oldest has now finished a full year away from home. He started last January. He still struggles socially (Asperger's) but is doing just fine overall. We are very proud of him. We never thought he could go away from home and manage. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Also two in college -- My junior is doing well. Which is new. It seems like every break (winter and summer) we've been scrambling to "patch her up" and get her as well as we can before sending her back to the fray. This has been the least worrying break, ever. So very nice. My freshman is adapting to her big university better than expected. She's overthinking the classes she's registered for next term, but is signed up for some good ones, too. She's an hour away by city bus, so has been home a couple times during the term, and we went up to campus to see her in a performance as well. So, the "haven't seen you in forever" feeling isn't there. It's nice to have her home, though. We've taken a couple walks together and talked. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 2 hours ago, JanetC said: Also two in college -- My junior is doing well. Which is new. It seems like every break (winter and summer) we've been scrambling to "patch her up" and get her as well as we can before sending her back to the fray. This has been the least worrying break, ever. So very nice. My freshman is adapting to her big university better than expected. She's overthinking the classes she's registered for next term, but is signed up for some good ones, too. She's an hour away by city bus, so has been home a couple times during the term, and we went up to campus to see her in a performance as well. So, the "haven't seen you in forever" feeling isn't there. It's nice to have her home, though. We've taken a couple walks together and talked. I will admit we told our kids we didn't want them further than 4 hours away. Neither has a car on campus, and 4 hours to get there is doable, even in a R/T in one day scenario. Now, if they had really, really wanted to go further, we might have relented, but as it is, it worked out well. One is 3 hours away to the North-West and one is 4 hours away to the South-East. Opposite directions, but doable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 My son is more considerate--picks his things up and holds doors. He is, however, mourning the fact that we aren't the cafeteria and life has been so crazy the past few days that food has been limited in choice (and he needs to fix breakfast and lunch himself!) 3 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Picked ds up from the airport last night. It has been so good to have him home. No changes really. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 Dd is here since last afternoon. Jet lag is a factor, but we had a really good day. Dad hasn't been very available and won't be for a bit, but it's so good to see her. We have walked a lot to shop for stuff (I call it "foraging") and haven't gone anywhere (to any holy sites, for example) but she is happy I know my way around and is complimentary and pleasant to be with. Tonight we are going to the college for dinner (there's a pilgrim college on the cathedral close), so we are bringing hummus and vegs, and she made pita chips to go with the guacamole I made--we got along fine in the kitchen. It is nice to talk without skyping, and she's very open about her experiences and also about her bf, so I've been able to ask her some things. She is also reassuring me that she isn't very homesick, which is a relief! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 My dd will be home on Thursday. We've been to see her perform a few times and she was home for (Canadian) Thanksgiving so I haven't felt like too much time has gone by without a visit. She seems to be loving university and being on her own and I think our relationship has benefited from the time away from one another. 🙂 I wish Thursday would get here sooner! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I see my son every 6 weeks but this is the longest time he has been home. He told me today he misses being at school, being independent, his friends, everything. This is the child we used to joke would be living in my basement as an adult and never leave home! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 DS has been home 2.5 days now. If he ever wakes up, I'll let you know if I see any changes. 😉 3 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 My sophomore dc just got home this afternoon. After every semester dc comes home a little more mature and a lot more relaxed. It's good. 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Youngest is local but in a dorm and I can't believe how little we've seen of her this first semester, lol. The kid who wouldn't order her own Subway sandwich a few years ago is meeting all the people and doing all the things, and has been hired as an Orientation Leader! Shameless mom brag: her anthropology prof sent her an email asking if she would consider being an anthro major, that was great for her confidence. She came home just over a week ago. Her dad had major surgery and she and her sister have been champs about helping out and staying home when I had to work. I'm on holiday break now, and the relief on her face when I told her yesterday to go ahead and go off with friends and spend the night was comical 😄 On 12/17/2018 at 2:20 PM, gingersmom said: This is the child we used to joke would be living in my basement as an adult and never leave home! Yep, my youngest as well! Isn't it crazy? Oldest is a junior so much more settled in at school and an old hand at coming home for breaks. Her school is 7 hours away and so are her friends, so we'll probably see more of her than youngest! Not so many changes this year but some confirmation that she actually likes her majors - she's in the upper levels now and doing some research input/synthesis for her professor, and I figured this might be the point when a student goes, what have I chosen?? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Coming back to say that the one who is driving me nuts about this visit is dh. He is (in my opinion) trying to micromanage a 21 year old. I refuse to do it. Ds is still finishing up papers for his semester at home (due date is Sunday). He's doing just fine - just like he was thousands of miles away from us. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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