@ChoatieMom I am so, so sorry for your loss.
@ChoatieMom Very sorry for your loss.
One a different note, I am also glad that your son will have the opportunity to graduate with his class. Will you be able to view from afar? Or will they televise it? I hope that you get to participate as well.
@Happytimes2001: He graduated and commissioned last May (see my avatar) and is serving his commitment at Ft. Gordon, GA.
West Point always live-streams graduation, so any taxpayer can watch. I do feel bad for the class of 2020’s parents. Right now, it looks like there will be no visitors attending this one. Hard to watch such a momentous event from afar, especially when hotel and travel plans were made a year in advance.
@ChoatieMom I’m sorry I misread above. Thanks for his service.
Oh my goodness, @ChoatieMom ! You reminded me to cancel that hotel reservation I made a year ago for DS’ commencement! Not sure how that detail came off the radar… it was top of mind a year ago when I was waiting for reservations to open up for the next year.
Thank you!
We’ve cancelled all our reservations for both kids graduations this year. Our college senior is already working and her online graduation is on a Monday so I’m not even sure she will attend. The public high school near NMH is using a drive in movie theater for graduation (seniors process in a car parade and then park ) which is a cute concept but not workable for an international school. How are other families with grads celebrating? Not sure what to do now that the family/friends party is clearly a no go. I am completely Zoomed out.
We had a boat parade today down here for our seniors at the local school.
OK - I tried to post a link to a great article published in thrive global about helping your Senior (class of 2020) student work through this time of shared grief, loss, frustration, and lack of closure. One of the key points is to not minimize this situation or compare it to other crisis situations. In grief, we should not expect to compare losses. Hope it gets posted, but if not you can PM me for where to find it.
Our school hosted a webinar with an expert on adolescent development and she highlighted why these “stay-at-home” orders are particularly tough on teens, whose brains are wired for three things:
- Pursuing novel experiences
- Establishing identity and status by engaging with peers
- Asserting autonomy/independence
Being stuck at home with parents is hardly conducive!
@chemmchimney – Choate has scheduled a virtual graduation of some sort for the end of the month, with an “in-person” ceremony looming for August or September. She is not really that interested in participating. At this point, I think they are all sick of virtual, Zoom, and underwhelmed by any suggested alternatives.
Long ago, we canceled the AirBnb that we had booked for family to attend DD’s graduation. As far as celebrating at this point, we will most likely just invite close family (whom we have only seen outside, six feet apart over the last two months) for an outdoor BBQ graduation party of sorts. It is all so sad for the Class of 2020! My DD didn’t care about grad announcements being sent out either.
On another note, what is the status of your kids’ belongings in their dorm rooms? I am feeling frustrated by the lack of communication on this! Their possessions have been sitting in their dorms since the beginning of March. What’s the plan for retrieving/shipping them for other schools?
Here is a great essay @ the importance of TEACHERS saying goodbye and helping to facilitate closure virtually…especially important for kids at BS because they have known teachers via multiple roles and (for many) lived with them like parental figures. I hope this gets posted. If not, PM me.
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend to all!
My family and quarantine guests have asked me to stay upstairs with my door closed while they prepare an early MD surprise - and yes, I am absolutely terrified ( especially with my crew ) , but I’m digging the solitude right now! Haven’t been alone in my own home for quite a while now… and this is a real treat .
Can you guys lock me in a room again tomorrow?? No, really- that’s all I want. 
Hope all the wonderful moms out there have an amazing day!
Wishing you all good health and a Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful moms out there!
I honor of all you Moms out there today, I am sharing a wonderful poem by the late Erma Bombeck - someone shared this a few years ago on CC @ drop off time in September, because this has special meaning for us parents who know what it is like to send our kids off to school at a young age.
CHILDREN ARE LIKE KITES - by Erma Bombeck
“You spend a lifetime
Trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you’re both breathless.
They crash.
They hit the rooftop.
You patch and comfort,
Adjust and them them.
Finally they are airborne…
They need more string and you keep letting it out.
But with each twist of the ball of twine,
There is a sadness that goes with the joy.
The kite becomes more distant
And you know it won’t be long
Before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds
you two together
and will soar as its meant to soar
Free and alone.”
?? Happy Mother’s Day to all! ??
Awww thanks @doschicos for originally posting that a few years ago - I have thought of that poem often over the past few years. Taking joy in the fact that so many of us have our kiddos home with us this Mother’s Day to hug!?
The girlfriends and cousins left yesterday morning to be with their moms and the friends who could only travel home by air remain here with us - which is nice. I want to adopt these guys!! My MD surprise was a croquet party with an outdoor buffet prepared by the kids. Best part? It began to snow- which was kind of wild but very memorable.
Plus- I was able to take some amazing photos. 
Hey all…interesting article published this week in The Atlantic magazine…I am going to post link @ pinning hopes and identity on Ivy League school.
https://amp-theatlantic-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/611407/
@Golfgr8 That article was SPOT ON. Should be required reading for anyone applying to anything competitive. Thanks for sharing.