<p>Today is bittersweet. Except for senior trip and senior banquet, it was my s1's last day of high school. Yesterday should have been, but as his AP English class was putting John Milton and "Paradise Lost" on trial today, and as he was portraying Satan (lol), he had to go in today. </p>
<p>But now, he's done. The tension he has been carrying around for the last few months is gone. He's smiling again. He can sleep in. And finally focus on the future. He's heading off to Pitt in August and is very excited, as are my husband and myself. </p>
<p>I'm grateful to have such a great kid. He's an honors student, has a job, gets home when he is supposed to, helps out, follows the rules. He has alot going for him, and we are incredibly proud. I am going to to my best to make this summer a good one, and to try not to cry too much. It's going to be hard, and even harder on his dad, as he is a 20-year Navy veteran and has spent most of s1's life at sea. He retired in 2009, and now he is home and our oldest is leaving. At least he will only be 2 hours away.</p>
<p>Your post sent me back 7 years. (Wow, it’s been SEVEN years since our DS went off to college?) Totally with you. Still remember the bittersweet of our ‘great kid’ leaving for school. Ours is just back home after completing a masters. Job hunting, networking and a bit of loafing and hanging out. A joy still.</p>
<p>Sounds like you did a grand job with your boy, now a man.<br>
Enjoy the next few months. It will be fun helping him assemble all the college ‘stuff’ he needs. Found the dopey XL sheets yet??</p>
<p>Our DS only traveled only a little over an hour away but it could have been 500 miles. He jumped into school/friends/work and had little time for us. The way it’s supposed to be.</p>
<p>Congrats to you for raising a good boy.
My daughter still has 2 weeks left, and still has homework!
But then there is just the music banquet, Night of Reflections and Graduation. It’s coming soon!
Don’t feel bad about crying. I will be crying my eyes out at graduation, and all summer long.</p>
<p>OT–Musicmom: I just got back from a trip to our shared alma mater, giving out a scholarship in the name of my MIL, who had been a teacher there. it was cool and weird to be back.</p>
<p>To the OP-- sorry for the hijack. And I want to add–we played Schools Out to our kids every year in June, since kindergarten. Don’t worry; it’s not forever–there are always new places of learning, both in and out of formal institutions.</p>
<p>I graduated on Monday and I’ll be going to Minnesota from a different continent, and my parents are dreading the day they’ll drop me off at Carleton… I guess this is universal. They keep asking what they’ll do when I’m not around anymore- it’ll be a big adjustment, I guess, because I’ve been around for 18 years. I hope they realize this isn’t half as bad as they’re making it out, nor is this permanent.</p>
<p>Indeed, these are serious signature moments for a parent. Bittersweet for many. I just had another one of those events recently when my oldest got married. It was a beautiful day and I am truly thrilled with my new son-in-law. Nonetheless, I have a similar knot in my gut as I did when I dropped her off at college for the first time years ago. </p>
<p>Frankly, I think I’m still in denial about all of it. I just know I’m going to wake up from this long nap just in time to pick her up from school and take her to gymnastics practice :)</p>
<p>Part of what made this so hard for me two years ago was that it was the very thing we’d all worked so hard for, for 18 years – a smart, successful, accomplished young woman launching into her future. I felt like I should be giddy with joy and relief, and sometimes I was. Other times, I’d look at her and have to leave the room to hide my tears. Emotional rollercoaster does not begin to describe senior year/summer.</p>
<p>Hugs to you, OP, and to all you parents of '11s. But also – give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. Nicely done!</p>