Parents: Share packing child up stories here

<p>I guess it is a girl thing. Mine leaves in 5 days and also has not started packing. She is gone all weekend so I know it won't get done this weekend. She was gung ho a few weeks ago and cleaned out tons of old stuff in her room and her desk, then hit a standstill. She tells me whats my rush. She is still wearing her clothes so she can't pack them. She has started some piles of stuff that she wants to bring and the books that she wants. The clothes are the real issue. We are going to do most of the shopping once we arrive so we only bought sheets and a blanket that she has washed. She also definitely wants my help with the physical packing since I am much better at getting lots of stuff in each bag.
I will be sad to see her go since she has been such a pleasure this summer. But also I am excited for her.</p>

<p><<what is="" it="" with="" guys---="" s="" also="" has="" not="" bought="" anything="" for="" school.="" "oh,="" i'll="" shop="" when="" i="" get="" there!"="">></what></p>

<p>Boy, does that sound familiar! S has bought socks, white t shirts, and boxers. His list still says he needs to get dress pants, khakis, nice t shirts, and a few other odds and ends. But he decided today it could wait until he gets there. Some friends are throwing a party for him tonight, and there is church tomorrow, plus packing and last minute visits with friends... We leave Monday morning... yes, it probably won't be done until we get there.</p>

<p>Still waiting for son to acknowledge that he is leaving on Wednesday...</p>

<p>lol
Son really has been very busy with friends. So after several ultimatums about going shopping together for the bedding, I went out and did it with hus.We pretty much have his taste down, and the purchases were just fine with son. What a joy getting that done!</p>

<p>We have a long fuse because we don't leave until Sep 24 - S doesn't have to arrive for Fresher's Week until Sunday Oct 2, so we are going to travel around a bit first. This should be a lovely experience, as he is a delightful traveling companion - likes most activities and is calm and relaxed on a trip. I'm looking at it as a "bonding-before-sendoff" opportunity. However, I'm sure I'll cry all the way home on the plane.</p>

<p>I'm going to ship a big trunk before we go, as well as linens, so we will be able to travel light. He has a week of activities in his residential college before term begins Oct 9, and there is down time for shopping for minor items.</p>

<p>Sept 24?!! What school is this?!!</p>

<p>Colleges on the quarter system start in late September-- but I think Yulsie's S is going overseas.</p>

<p>BHG, I think yulsie's son is going to Oxford. But over here, Stanford, for example, opens around that time. They have a quarter system.</p>

<p>Son is a sophomore this year and I haven't been involved in any packing and that is GREAT. I wonder if he has everything but I figure he is so much more independent this year, he'll figure it out.</p>

<p>We have 2 weeks, but had to get the boxes done this weekend, because we're going on a Mom/daughter trip this coming weekend, and boxes needed to be shipped before we got home. She found an alphabet book written, bound, and illustrated in the second grade - I almost lost it on the bed in her room. I think we may wait to go through all her "things" until next summer - we've gotten rid of a lot of clothes and accessories she doesn't wear, it may be easier to do the "things" at a less emotional time.</p>

<p>I recall my daughter's 'junk in the room' was nicer than my sons 'junk in the room'. With my daughter she was very orgainized putting mementos in boxes for the attic and threw out clothes than didn't fit. With my sons it's much different with Real Junk like pop tops and golf balls, all kinds of 'creations' made out of wires and headphones and circuit boards. And what is it with all the chains?</p>

<p>By the way CANGEL- did you know Natalie Halloway?</p>

<p>Schools on the trimester start 3rd week in September as well. My son's friend going to a German University doesn't get going until October.</p>

<p>BHG - no, different part of the state - terrible, sad thing.</p>

<p>I leave on the 14th of September and I want to start packing, but my mom won't let me... so excited! achat, I'm also going to Stanford. yippee! Started riding a bike again just to get used to it. Nearly crashed into my mom's potted plants.</p>

<p>Dropped our S off at school yesterday. We had the usual procrastinating and sorting through the mess in his room problem. Fortunately we flew to Pittsburgh, so we were constrained in what we could pack to the bags we could check or carry on. We will ship a few things, but not much. </p>

<p>Worked out fine so far, but, then, we haven't had that first frantic call about something he's just realized wasn't packed yet. It's bound to come.</p>

<p>He's leaving for college? Oh, yeah, that's right - he is! </p>

<p>You wouldn't know it by him because he's still in "summer break" mode. He leaves in 6 days. I thought it was 9, but when I walking into his room this monring and mentioned "9 days" he said "6 - I'm moving in early". Okaaay. Looks like we need to get moving. </p>

<p>My parents (his grandparents) are being very helpful and I guess dealing with this in their own way - by shopping like mad. We live across the street from them, so we'll all feel the impact of his departure. My mom went out yesterday and came home with a trunk full of linens, pillows, comforter, towels, mattress covers (2)......does this 18 yr old really need new Egyptian Cotton towels for college? And Nana was very excited to show us that they have curtains to match the bedspread - curtains! Pop-pop just shook his head and laughed - curtains! She's also very interested in buying him a microwave. It's all part of the process, I suppose. And, I'm too broke from paying the tuition to buy anything new. </p>

<p>Of course, son's attitude is "hey, I'll show up with as little as possible and see what everyone else brings". When I ask him what he thinks he needs to bring, he responds that he only needs a clock and a desk lamp - and his subwolfer to attach to his laptop sound system for the parties ;)</p>

<p>From my end, I'm ready, I think. Earlier today I had to lay down the law and say, "don't leave the house until you handle X, Y and Z". At his point he doesn't do anything I ask around the house and I have cut off all financial support, including car insurance for his car (I pay tuition, that's it). For both of our sakes, it's time! At this point, we still get along wonderfully and I would like to keep it that way. He has, in other ways, matured amazingly over the summer with the help of time spent in a summer program at Penn and connecting with some of the younger TAs who mentored him both academically and personally. </p>

<p>I'm excited for him and looking forward to Sunday (move out day) because I know it's the start of something big for him....and the day a door to a new world will open. Apparently, his dorm and floor are enticing (not sure what it is about this particular floor, but he claims this is "THE FLOOR", per facebook research).</p>

<p>So, another "guy" in ther line-up of CC kids who are just going to show up at college with backpacks and whatever parents and grands force them to drag along.</p>

<p>Momsdream, so glad to learn about your son; haven't seen you around here for awhile. I was wondering about you and your family! Good luck with the move! :)</p>

<p>ps. Egyptian cotton towels! Wow!!</p>

<p>My daughter spent about a week packing her stuff - did it all herself - even packed the car while I was at work Friday. It seemed that she had a lot of stuff, until we got to school and saw how much other kids brought. Hands down she had less stuff than her two roommates. Other friends of hers (boys, natch!) either hadn't started packing or hadn't started shopping until the day before heading out...She packed stuff in those big plastic/rubber containers with lids and bankers boxes, which we brought back home with us, so her room looked like a smaller version of her room at home by 2 PM on move in day....</p>

<p>You all don't know how reassuring it is to read about many, many other boys who are all doing the same thing, not packing. Mind has managed to get the majority of the "stuff" into the living room, but only after I "requested" it. As for packing, huh? Well, the printer is packed.</p>

<p>Still waiting...although I did see him doing laundry today. Could that be in preparation for packing??? Naaa...he's probably out of underwear.</p>