I don’t know if you know this, but APPARENTLY simply refusing to think about the realities of having a child applying to college/graduating/getting out of Dodge doesn’t stop it from happening. We are gearing up to start Chickadee’s senior year and I have many, many feels. SO MANY FEELS. But I have to pretend I don’t, because, GOD, MOM, STOP. So it’ll just be our little secret, Internet. I know you won’t tell anyone.
We went through the Cabinet Of School Supplies last week and determined that we still had plenty of pencils left over from the last time we bought a gazillion-pack, but we needed loose-leaf paper, and spiral notebooks, and a few other things. All items were picked up or ordered. And then we were at Costco buying All The Maple Syrup this weekend and they had 2-packs of pillows and I thought, Huh, that’s a good price, and we’re here, and she’ll need pillows for her dorm room. It seemed reasonable. The next thing I knew, I’d ordered her a duvet after arranging with a local crafty friend to have a duvet cover custom-made because EITHER my child is extremely picky and wants something that doesn’t exist in the world in duvet cover form OR this is my lame way of making sure she knows HER MOMMY LOVES HER even after she leaves. Or both. Whatever.
The countdown is on, and I still have no idea what I’m doing. Only now there’s an expiration date on my influence. Fantastic! This prompted me to expound on my cluelessness even further over at Alpha Mom today, because ready or not, senior year is going to be a challenge for both of us (more me than her).
This is al really fascinating for me, as my oldest is a couple years behind your youngest (rising 9th grader). He has ADHD-NOS (more on the inattentive side), and I’ve been providing a lot of organizational support for him. I know I need to do less of that, but I’m not sure how to go about it.
Well, on that end of things, we’ve done things like let her “run” her own IEP meeting, and instead of intervening on her behalf with teachers, telling her to handle it herself. But that’s different from the endless “Is your homework done?” and “When is that due?” sorts of things we seem to always still be doing. I don’t know how hands-off I can truly go this year, even though I know we both need me to.
My boy, my youngest, my BABY, was supposed to graduate next spring. Long story short, he got his GED two months ago. I WAS ROBBED. So he’s working and playing and possibly starting college in January. Very weird. But so nice not having to buy supplies.
If Chickadee is interested, I belong to a women’s group called PEO International. We offer several scholarships, loans and grants for women in college, entering college and post-secondary education. These are based on character, grades, community involvement, and desire to learn. Please check it out – I think she falls into several categories. Too, some chapters look to give money they may have extra (like my chapter!) to a high school senior in the area. It may not be lots, but even several hundred may help. Good luck, and if interested, please private message me. http://www.peointernational.org/ (look under PEO Projects for scholarship info)
My sister loves the due app. Helps her with her adhd immensely.
If I had bought things a year before my child left for college, I would have either forgotten that I bought them, or I would have misplaced them. That’s just me. I WOULD do things early but I find it’s often counterproductive.
No, no, no – you buy the bedding the summer before she goes to college! University Linens – you’ll be hearing from them.