graduation

Last year was one of those transitional years, where the things that have changed are just starting to become normal. My oldest daughter started college in the fall of 2010. You would think that summer would have been hard, but it wasn’t. Actually, it was a great summer. I had a minor midlife crisis (yes, women can have them, too) and enjoyed a bit of freedom that I hadn’t had for 18 years. If you have a teenagers, you know that even if they are good, they are still work. Senior year was a blur.

Senior photos – we had to redo because the ones from Texas Photo were crap. I mean, utter crap.

Graduation Announcements – it was like a wedding only you have to nag to get thank you cards written. It’s much easier to write them yourself, but it looks like you are raising a spoiled brat if a parent writes a thank you note for a grad gift.

Senior Trip – this is a week that I will never forget. I would like to say that I bonded with my daughter and her friends, but I rarely saw them. When I did, they were usually not in any shape to have a conversation.

Parties/Parties/Parties – I think there were at least 5 graduation parties that happened, all of which needed a new outfit, a white outfit, or something that required work from me. There was also the gifts that you get the kids that you are close to, so for me that was 7. I did a photo in a frame of my daughter and her group of friends. You can also do personalized towels for college, a make up bag or after-shower wrap. Those were some of the things my daughter received that I thought were really nice.

The Graduation Ceremony – you will laugh, you will cry. Afterward, you will deal with a house full of people while your kid is off to Project Graduation or whatever they have planned for the big night.

None of this includes the college application process that should be started in the fall of the senior year, or the road trips the summer before the senior year to look at schools, or what you need to do if you kid decides to go through rush. That is a whole other topic.

It’s an emotional time for mothers. So, don’t be too hard on yourself if it gets to you. You have lived with this little person you brought into the world for the last 18 years, and you’ve kind of gotten used to him/her, even if it wasn’t all good. It’s natural that you’ll be sad when they go and miss them. We know how much we will love and miss our kids when they leave. The cosmic irony that comes out of all of this, is that soon your kid will come to realize that they had it pretty good at home and maybe mom knew a thing or two after all…