Anyone else dealing with their child leaving for uni?

jorichards2

Feel proud, sick, anxious and sad all at once. So proud of the young confident young man he's become. Walking away today felt like leaving him at nursery for the first time and it doesn't even feel that long ago! Have managed to spend the last 30 mins at home in floods of tears and now it's time to pull myself together and hit the gym. Think the next few weeks maybe a bit bumpy

Motorsheen

Don't worry, for every minute you're thinking of him, he's not thinking of you.

That's a good thing.

When I dropped my son off at college earlier this month, all I could think of was how much I wanted to go back to school myself.

It's the perfect setting to act like a fool and chase girls.

... without having to explain my actions to my wife.

thenananator

It is so hard! I just sent my 4th daughter off last month . My first was the most difficult but the saddness gives way to hard to describe feelings of - great joy for them! They are off and on their way to discover their own pathes, bumps in the roads, all of it! He will be FINE mom! Give yourself the chance to process all of it.....and best wishes!

jorichards2

Thanks for the reply. Took it all out in the gym. So proud and excited for him. Just suddenly felt lost and lonely. 18 years of him by my side feels strange. Going to learn to swim as a new challenge.

TheRoadDog

I dropped my youngest daughter off at college (this was 6 years ago) after moving her into her dorm room. Luckily, she was only 75 miles from home. As my wife and I pulled away to go home, I teared up so bad. Couldn't speak all the way home for fear my voice would crack and I would start blubbering. I could see my wife watching me out of the corner of her eye but, to her credit, she never brought it up. Daughter has graduated since then and lives 45 miles from home. I still don't get to see her enough.

Totally unrelated, but I joined the Marine Corps when I was 18. In 1972. My father drove me to the Recruiting station on the day I was to leave. He sat in the waiting area for about an hour while I was waiting to get sworn in. He got up and said he had to use the bathroom. Right after that, the recruiter, came out to get me. After I was sworn in, I went back to the waiting room. My father was gone. Within the hour, the recruiter drove me to the Bus station and put me on a bus for Boot Camp in San Diego. Never got to say goodbye to my Dad. A week or so later, I got a letter at Boot Camp. It was addressed to me c/o The Commandant of the Marine Corps, San Diego, California. It was from my Dad. He apologized for not staying around to see me off and say goodbye. He told me how proud he was, but he did not want me to see him cry.

Shana67

Yes, we recently just dropped our youngest off. It was tough and is made tougher by the fact that she very frequently moans about wanting to come home. Sigh.

lessismoreohio

I understand the feeling. I dropped my son off at Cleveland MEPS in July last year and saw him off to the USMC. It was tough at the time. We didn't see him again for several months.

Flash forward to today. Getting away from mom and dad has been very good for him. He has matured greatly and been promoted to PFC and then LCPL. He is making money, paying his own bills and stationed in California (Hollywood Marine). Him going off on his own has been very good for us (parents) and for our son.

Good luck to you and your son.

lessismoreohio

TheRoadDog wrote: »

I dropped my youngest daughter off at college (this was 6 years ago) after moving her into her dorm room. Luckily, she was only 75 miles from home. As my wife and I pulled away to go home, I teared up so bad. Couldn't speak all the way home for fear my voice would crack and I would start blubbering. I could see my wife watching me out of the corner of her eye but, to her credit, she never brought it up. Daughter has graduated since then and lives 45 miles from home. I still don't get to see her enough.

Totally unrelated, but I joined the Marine Corps when I was 18. In 1972. My father drove me to the Recruiting station on the day I was to leave. He sat in the waiting area for about an hour while I was waiting to get sworn in. He got up and said he had to use the bathroom. Right after that, the recruiter, came out to get me. After I was sworn in, I went back to the waiting room. My father was gone. Within the hour, the recruiter drove me to the Bus station and put me on a bus for Boot Camp in San Diego. Never got to say goodbye to my Dad. A week or so later, I got a letter at Boot Camp. It was addressed to me c/o The Commandant of the Marine Corps, San Diego, California. It was from my Dad. He apologized for not staying around to see me off and say goodbye. He told me how proud he was, but he did not want me to see him cry.

Thank you for sharing the story about your entering the Marine Corp and your father dropping you off for your trip to boot camp. Really touched me and took me back to last year when I dropped my own son off for his trip to Parris Island.

memickee

Wow, I must be a bad mom. She is my only child. When I dropped her off I felt freedom.

jorichards2

I felt freedom too. In fact I feel just about every emotion possible in the space of 5mins. Ironically my mum who's 200 miles away spent the day with her heart in her mouth worrying if I was coping. Worrying if i was safe driving home on my own. Wishing she'd come up to stay but didn't think I'd want silly old mum in the way. Guess as a parent your children are always in the back of your mind no matter how old or far away they are!

ginette70

I think we all reaction differently when our children leave and we are all entitled to our own feelings. When our older kids reached teenage years, my husband and I decided that maybe we'd have just one more child. I had 3 and he had 3 already. Well, we hit the Golden Jackpot because when I was just a couple months shy of turning 42, I gave birth to twins!!!! Yes, 8 kids total. I've been home with the twins since they were 1 (4.5 years!!!) and they just started kindergarten last month. Though I miss them terribly, it's a great time for me to put me first and focus on getting these last 25 lbs of baby fat off me!!!! Yes it's taken a while, but so far, I am down 6+ lbs. I work out daily now, make jewelry, cook, walk the dog more and do a little more couponing. The same week they started school, my 19 year old son moved out the house. I missed him a lot, too, but turned his room into my bead studio. Life MUST go on while all our kids continue to grow.

jorichards2

Thanks for your inspiration. Definitely won't be trying for a baby though I just didn't realise how much my mum still thinks and worries about me. I moved out and away 23 years ago. Think maybe I should of taken a little more notice of her other than the routine weekly call.

A new era begins time to find a new direction.