 |
| Dodgerton Skillhause via MorguefileWhen |
I've spent this past week at my daughter's disposal as she prepares for her sophomore year of college. As they did last year, shopping lists replaced my to-do list nearly every day, leading me to re-visit my posts from last summer about packing her up and moving her out.
This year, though, I'm approaching the trip to dormville with some experience under my belt. What follows is my advice from last year's move-in, updated with this is year's knowledge, experience and perhaps a bit more laissez faire than was good for either of us.
Last year's advice: Make a list--early. This year? That was the plan, but my daughter was much more relaxed (admittedly, so was I) and so the lists didn't materialize until much later than I would have liked. Last year, the comprehensive list of all the things (and then some) my daughter might need for school (one I found online) was a wonderful starting point. I started chipping away at it right after graduation, picking up extras of toiletries on each trip to Target so we didn't have to do a massive shopping spree the week before she left. This year, a combination of knowledge (knowing what stores were near campus), experience ("Mom, I don't really need that") and leftovers made the process simpler. Our lists were much shorter, allowing us to finish on time, despite a much later start.
This year, though, I'm approaching the trip to dormville with some experience under my belt. What follows is my advice from last year's move-in, updated with this is year's knowledge, experience and perhaps a bit more laissez faire than was good for either of us.
Last year's advice: Make a list--early. This year? That was the plan, but my daughter was much more relaxed (admittedly, so was I) and so the lists didn't materialize until much later than I would have liked. Last year, the comprehensive list of all the things (and then some) my daughter might need for school (one I found online) was a wonderful starting point. I started chipping away at it right after graduation, picking up extras of toiletries on each trip to Target so we didn't have to do a massive shopping spree the week before she left. This year, a combination of knowledge (knowing what stores were near campus), experience ("Mom, I don't really need that") and leftovers made the process simpler. Our lists were much shorter, allowing us to finish on time, despite a much later start.
 |
| Pixabay |
Last year's reminder: You will forget things. This year? Still true. We had a list of three things I needed to send her (in addition to the list of things to buy once we got her back to school) before we even got to campus. Reduce your stress by making it your goal to forget as few things as possible rather than to forget nothing at all. If you haven't done this before, or haven't done this since your own college days, you will forget something. If you're putting your child in charge, s/he will forget something. Aiming to do otherwise merely adds unnecessary stress to an already stressful situation. Why do you think the parents who've done this before recommend Amazon Prime?
Last year's advice: Be flexible. This year? If you haven't already accepted this as the cardinal rule of parenting, now might be a good time to do so. Make lists and make plans, but expect them to change. In addition, be prepared to be flexible about who's in charge and when your child is leading the way, resist the urge to micromanage. This is their life they're preparing for, so let them own the preparations as much as possible. Not only is it good practice for what lies ahead, but sometimes, they have good ideas.
Last year's advice: Make your relationship with your child the most important thing. This year? Okay, maybe this is the cardinal rule of parenting. Long after these preparations are complete and your child is launched, he or she will remember how you handled these days -- and so will you. Some of my best days with my daughter were the crunch-time shopping trips we did just before she headed back to school. Cherish this time, even if off-to-school nerves bring out your child's more challenging side. Soon enough, the house will be too quiet, and then, before you know it, all the stuff you just took to campus will be back in your basement for another summer.
 |
| 4Me2Design via Pixabay |
No comments:
Post a Comment