Anyone Miss Their Kids TERRIBLY?

I’m much older than the average parent with kids going off to college…we adopted an infant daughter when I was 46. So parenthood was already a big re-do of adulthood for me and it kept me young. But when she goes off to college, I think I’ll be a little too tired and worn to completely re-invent myself career-wise, yet too young to want to relax into a passive old(er) age. Many people my age have grandchildren going off to college (or having great-grandkids. Yikes! ). My husband is five years younger than me, so nowhere near retirement age. I think I’ll feel in an in-between bubble, not sure where I fit or which direction to head in life. I’m close to my daughter, so her leaving will be a double-whammy for me in both missing her and figuring out my life stage.

I do know I’ll be hankering to do some serious independent travel if we can afford it while paying college bills. I’m feeling that my time of being healthy enough to seriously hike and explore the world the way I like may not last forever (I am not one to want to glide about in an airconditioned tour bus with 60 other older Americans. Not saying that’s a bad thing at all, it’s just not me). DH just doesn’t have my degree of wanderlust, either …he’s happiest staying near home and bicycling.

Right now my focus is getting as fit as I can be (trying to walk at least an hour per day or more in our very hilly town) and getting rid of clutter, to be ready for whatever is the next chapter. Lost around 12 pounds since spring (now just around five pounds over my optimal young-adult weight!) so I’m feeling a decade younger already. That won’t make me miss my daughter less, of course, but maybe keeping fit will keep me from slipping as easily into a post-middle-age depression.

@inthegarden That will be us too. We will be in our 60’s when our youngest graduates high school. Her siblings will be well into in their 30’s. I’m trying not to focus too much on what that’s going to look like for us considering we still have to do things like pick a preschool.

We just had our first visit to see Prepx3D this weekend and it was great to see her in her new environment and having a great time with classes and activities. There have been some bumps in the road during the first few weeks; getting sick for the first time away from home, but seeing her so happy and involved really made is nice for her mother and I. We miss her a lot, and while I suspect she might miss the family pup more than us, seeing her in new environment really was nice.

FaceTime has helped our family a lot, and really strengthened that sense of connection. You’re not alone in feeling the way you do though!

Last year was rough, especially the first semester. Then I got more used to it, until Summer. My d studied abroad in Fez, Morocco and that was very hard on me. Now she’s back at school and yes, I still miss her but I guess I’m more used to it now. It does get easier.

We miss our S and, at the same time, we are happy, impressed, and proud of his achievements. Makes visits even more important and memorable.

Nope, don’t miss them and never did