<p>Parents are you ready?</p>
<p>He is my second to go away so I am pretty calm thus far.</p>
<p>Maybe we can share stresses, questions, anxieties and hints here...</p>
<p>Good luck. I thought that Pitt made it super easy. Carts are available to pile everything in and students are available to help as well.</p>
<p>It will be fine just have some patience especially waiting for the Towers’ elevators! For next year, have your child volunteer for Arrival Survival and it will be even smoother as volunteers gets to move-in early!</p>
<p>I’ve beem comtemplating how I want to respond to this.</p>
<p>A month ago, I would have said that the thought of having DD leave in three weeks brought tears to my eyes.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago, I would have said that I needed more quality time with her before she leaves, and since she was in such an oppositional mood at the time, I just wasn’t ready for departure day to be so close.</p>
<p>Today? Different story. She’s away on a five day trip with family friends. She texts, calls, sends pictures, and is conversational. We’re communicating more than when she is home.</p>
<p>I never thought I would say this, but maybe I’m looking forward to this change. Maybe our relationship will be easier than it has been.</p>
<p>Ironically, mothers of twenty something daughters told me this would be the summer from h<em>ll, but I was sure it would not happen in our household. Afterall, our DD has never been disrespectful, and I *cough</em> pride myself in dealing with all kinds of personality quirks in kids. <em>cough</em></p>
<p>I still think I will cry, but I no longer fear crying on the way OUT to Pitt. But who knows what may transpire during the next three weeks.</p>
<p>Let me just say that I (like many other parents) think I have the perfect daughter. Yes, she drives me nuts. And, of course there are times I want to scream. But honestly, if I were given the opportunity when I was pregnant with her to select all of the personality traits I would want in a daughter - she’d possess every single one that she currently has. We are truly blessed with her.</p>
<p>That being said - even though we are from the area (which was the biggest reason she didn’t want to go to Pitt) I’m going to really miss her. I’m going to miss her every day presence…and I fully expect to be crying like a baby when we move her in and we are pulling our car away. C’mon now…that’s my baby!</p>
<p>So I don’t care if you are 10 miles away or 10000…your baby is growing up…and spreading his/her wings. It’s all good. But that doesn’t mean it’s any easier on the parents. </p>
<p>Maybe we should form a support group - ha!</p>