Our son, who will be starting his freshman year in college this fall, met with the school’s counselors last week to set up his class schedule. Why I thought my husband and I would be involved in this process is beyond me. Tom has been handling his own scheduling issues and any other problems that might come his way since high school. He’s quite skillful at it. I knew he … [Read more...]
Our Nest is Not Empty, Just Rearranged
When my husband and I were getting ready to have our second child, we read everything we could about preparing our three-year-old for his baby sister’s arrival. We followed the experts’ advice and had him pick out a present for her. We had him select a picture of himself, so we could tape it to the baby’s hospital bassinet. He had his “I’m a Big Brother” t-shirt ready to … [Read more...]
Enjoying the Here and Now With My 17-Year-Old
About a week before Christmas, my 10-year-old came off the bus and told me he was very sad. When I asked him why, he told me that it was because it was almost Christmas, and that meant that all the things he loved about the holiday season -- the music, parties, and presents -- would soon be over. When I relayed the story back to my mother, she laughed and said, “Wow, he … [Read more...]
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
At 48 with three kids ages 15, 12 and 9, I feel like a monkey in the middle. Some of my friends have kids that are much older than mine. Babies that I bought shower and first birthday gifts for so many years ago, are finishing college or well into their careers. I also have some friends with children still in diapers. I’ve found in my mom friends and in myself, that … [Read more...]
