<p>The more I go through this process, the more I realize that I feel very similar to how I felt right after my son was born. So I started to think about all of the similarities. Thought I would share. Some of these are very true, some a little tongue-in-cheek! </p>
<ol>
<li>No matter how many people try to explain it to you, you don't really "get it" until you have gone through the process yourself. </li>
<li>No matter how many classes and how much prep work you do, there will still be surprises</li>
<li>Everyone has advice, everyone thinks they are an expert on the subject. </li>
<li>No two kids are the same. No two processes are the same. </li>
<li>The second time it is usually easier, but not always. </li>
<li>It's more expensive than you think. </li>
<li>Many emotional ups and downs</li>
<li>Lots of lost sleep</li>
<li>You feel totally helpless wanting to help your child, and make everything better at times. But usually, you just have to provide comfort, and let things play out. </li>
<li>You share the joy and pride of your childs newest accomplishments (acceptances), often to the point your friends avoid your calls! </li>
<li>You don't believe that anyone else could be going through the same issues you are. </li>
<li>Your child is "more special" than the others. </li>
<li>You search out advice and information from books and online forums.</li>
<li>It is your main topic of conversation in almost all settings. </li>
<li>It can be painful, physically and mentally, but worth every minute of it. </li>
<li>You can pay someone to do most of the work for you, but you will miss out on some of the best parts of the process if you do that. </li>
<li>You will make mistakes, but most do not cause irrepairable harm.</li>
</ol>
<p>I sometimes wish my parents would join this site so they realize how easy they had it with me. They did NOTHING with college. Or high school for that matter besides go to my plays and games. </p>
<p>Threads like this make me chuckle because I try to picture my parents doing some of this stuff and it just doesn’t work. Makes for a hilarious mental scenario though.</p>
<p>This is a great thread! I can totally relate to everything you listed vlines. The only difference for me is that this is my second and last child I am sending away. I am starting to get really nostaligic and trying to treasure these last few months of D2’s childhood as we know it. I spent nearly an hour the other day watching her nap on the couch as I was on the computer and thinking there won’t be many more days like this.</p>
<p>@westie22- awww… thats so sweet i m sry, i m only 17 i hardly get my own mom’s emotions and worryin fits over us but the thread was kinda interesting for me as i m just starting to realixe that it wasn’t easy for my mom to bring us up. and that her job is definately harder than it seems.</p>
<p>Romanigypsyeyes - I smiled when I read this. My mom was visiting us a couple months ago and we were talking about D’s college process and she looked at me and said, “We didn’t do any of this with you. Did you do all that yourself? Were we supposed to do it?” Of course, this was 35 years ago when kids mostly did it themselves (at least I think they did), often paid for it totally themselves (I know I did, and it was do-able back then to an extent it is not today) and the process was much simpler and easier.</p>
<p>FWIW, I haven’t lost any sleep over the college process. Wish I could say that about the infant days.</p>
<p>The pain of helping with the dorm move in is NOTHING compared to labor- no matter what you do to your back. I agree mothers do the most- most fathers don’t realize all of the household stuff required- toothpaste to sheets to…</p>
<p>Yes, I was the neurotic first time expectant mom who read “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” like it was my bible. Then, when I was a first time expectant college mom, it was College Confidential.</p>
<p>I teared up when I read the vlines’ original post. But “lots of lost sleep”? I wasn’t counting on that one! We’ll see how it goes after my D actually leaves home. I thought that would be one of the benefits of having a kid away at school, especially since my teenager has developed an age-appropriate interest in playing music really loud, sometimes near enough to my bedtime for it to be an issue. Grrr! But, then again, “hail, hail rock ‘n’ roll!”</p>
i m sry, i m only 17 i hardly get my own mom’s emotions and worryin fits over us but the thread was kinda interesting for me as i m just starting to realixe that it wasn’t easy for my mom to bring us up. and that her job is definately harder than it seems.</p>