<p>I have a senior and it has never occurred to me to go to parents weekend before now. I attended a local alumni new student send-off reception yesterday with my incoming freshman. We are OOS about an 8 hr drive. That's a very big part of why I never considered attending before, the distance and expense. But the parents of current students and alums at the reception were very pro parents weekend and they were all just as OOS as we are. </p>
<p>So I started thinking. This is the only year that I will have 2 of my kids at the same school. I checked the airlines and was stunned to see very cheap fares. D1 lives in a large condo off campus, so my room would be free and she has a car. I think it would be great for the 3 of us to go to a football game together. I'm getting excited, BUT.....they can't figure out why I want to bother! Boy, rain on my parade.</p>
<p>I made hotel reservations this weekend for my son’s first parents’ weekend and my daughter’s spring 2013 graduation. Boohoo.</p>
<p>We did not ask our son whether he wanted us to attend. He is kind of a homebody and will be six hours from home, so I think he will want us to visit. Plus is it the week before his birthday.</p>
<p>I would go in your shoes - cheap airfare and free accommodation! My d is at a teeny tiny LAC in a teeny tiny town, flight options are a 3 hour nonstop flight and then 2 hour drive OR two flights and then drive 45 minutes. Hotels are double regular rates for Parents Weekend. The teeny tiny college town is crowded, restaurant reservations are impossible to get, etc.</p>
<p>We went her freshman year but now we go on a less crowded weekend.</p>
<p>We went to our first parents weekend last year and I have booked my room for this year. Yes it is hard to get a close by hotel room, but it is nice because there were lots of things planned for parents. A fun way to visit with some family activities planned. We have visited other weekends but really just went out to eat as there wasn’t much else going on.</p>
<p>If you have the time and the money for the plane trip - go! You will have fun</p>
<p>We never missed one, all 4 years. For son, it’s 3000 miles away; for D, it was 450 miles.
I went mainly to support our kids. I didn’t want them to feel abandoned or neglected when so many other parents were there. And I would never miss an opportunity(or an excuse) to see them.</p>
<p>We are thinking about it, but will probably go down for a different football weekend. One good reason would be to meet the parents of the new friends and, of course, to put a face to some of the names. </p>
<p>I just realized that DS school is not doing a special parent weekend this year. I am not sure why, but it is the 100th Homecoming weekend, so they probably plan to combine the events. I think we will probably need to skip that one. It is hard enough to get tickets to the long-term rival football game.</p>
<p>We went the first year for D1, after that we went visit her whenever she had a performance in school. We will be doing the same for D2 this year. We booked our hotel the day she was accepted ED. </p>
<p>Most parents go up the first year and it is when they miss home the most. I know my kids would feel left out if we didn’t go. There are some parents who live too far away to go, so we do adopt some when we are there.</p>
<p>If the point is to see your kids, they can always come home too (as an alternative). Tell them they can see their parents in their natural habitat.</p>
<p>We are going for Apple Fest, which is not Parents weekend, but something our (senior) daughter has wanted us to experience.</p>
<p>I made reservations for graduation just over a year in advance. I was thrilled to get a reservation at the place I wanted us to stay (same place where we are staying for Apple Fest!)</p>
<p>The town (Ithaca) is also a small one where it is a nightmare to find accommodations during move in, Parents’ weekend, graduation, etc.</p>
<p>The pattern I got in with DS#1 (just graduated this year) was to go visit once each semester. Sometimes PW in the fall; sometimes a different weekend. I just brought this up recently with DS#2 (rising sophomore) and he kind of said, “Why would you do that?” but more because he thinks it’s a lot of bother to make the trip rather than that he doesn’t want to see me (I think ). I don’t remember my parents visiting me in college, but I was only 3 hours away and came home several times each semester.</p>
<p>Having recently been through DS#1’s college graduation, I really liked that I had gotten to know his friends and some of their parents. I got to know the area. It was also kind of a break for me every semester–a little mini-vacation, since you’ll discover how very little you see your kids when you go to visit them in college (mostly for meals and athletic events). I was usually by myself, occasionally with a younger sibling (DH literally was on this campus twice–once for freshman move-in and once for graduation), but they were really fun weekends. </p>
<p>For the OP–would you consider driving? DS#1 was seven hours away; DS#2 is eight hours away. We always flew to the area when DS#1 was visiting colleges in high school, but when the decision was made and orientation was looming, I decided to drive. Happens to be easy highway driving, and I always rent a car to make it more fun. If they’re really only eight hours away and you’re talking multiple flights, surely it’s actually quicker to drive?</p>
<p>We went freshman year for our oldest, decided to schedule visits on weekend other than parent’s weekends after that. DD may want us to attend parent’s weekend because it’s more up her alley for the social things. If so, we will go, if not, we won’t. DS probably won’t want us to come because that would require him to be social :D.</p>
<p>Parents Weekends are crowded with parents. You will have to wait forever for seats at restaurants. The school’s event speakers will tell you nothing you haven’t already heard. And you don’t want to depend on going to a football game, as it might be hot or cold or rainy. Go another weekend for a more personalized tour from your child.</p>
<p>Definitely going to D’s freshman year parent’s weekend and so excited! I will be able to see her play her sport in an alumni game on her new team and get a feel for how she is adjusting first hand.</p>
<p>Won’t go in subsequent years b/c I will be going to watch her play in the spring instead. It is two flights and an hour drive, hotel for two nights and a rent car so every visit is a bit expensive and likely will have to plan future visits to try and catch a couple games over a weekend or something.</p>
<p>Unless you are really into the planned activities (check out the schedule) or the “big” game, I’d recommend visiting on a less crowded weekend. It’s mainly about seeing your kids in their natural habitat, and you can do that anytime.</p>
<p>oldfort wrote: "We went the first year for D1, after that we went visit her whenever she had a performance in school. We will be doing the same for D2 this year. We booked our hotel the day she was accepted ED. </p>
<p>Most parents go up the first year and it is when they miss home the most. I know my kids would feel left out if we didn’t go. There are some parents who live too far away to go, so we do adopt some when we are there."</p>
<p>Exactly our story except we didn’t book the hotel the same day D2 was accepted ED (still haven’t booked it for that matter).</p>
<p>To the OP, I would go in your shoes! I think it’s the most important/interesting freshman year. At our kids private LAC’s, parents weekends are not about sports (i.e. football games) and more about seeing the kids. Last year with our then college freshman we went on a hike up a mountain, sponsored by the college, attended a comedy improv and did a meet and greet with some faculty. Very laid back and fun. We live 7 hours away. Restaurants were not especially crowded. Can’t decide about going back this year.</p>
<p>I think it depends on a lot of factors–if your kid is part of a group that’s performing, or playing in the game, it’s fun to go. Beyond that, you have to determine whether it is likely to be fun or not. For us, yes freshman year, no in later years.</p>
<p>DW is going to parents weekend. I am staying home to coach. I will make a later visit to coincide with the last MLS game of the season when United go to Chicago</p>
The teeny tiny college town is crowded, restaurant reservations are impossible to get, etc.</p>
). I don’t remember my parents visiting me in college, but I was only 3 hours away and came home several times each semester.</p>