<p>Just make sure no individual piece of pink paraphernalia has been recalled lately...that could be a full-time job on it's own.</p>
<p>My D is also incommunicado since Sunday. Maybe they've been asked not to phone home for the first week to give them a chance to get settled? She said her roommates are great, her room is fine, and the food is delicious. I guess that's all we really need to know...but it's not enough, dangit!</p>
<p>Cheers, creative1. I remember being eight years old and thinking how absolutely idiotic a select few of my classmates were being. Who CARED if dolls weren't grown up--why did that mean we had to stop playing with them?:)</p>
<p>Two words, D'yer: You wait. Sigh. Boys don't understand anything. ;)</p>
<p>It is probably best not to speak to the students by phone for 2 weeks or so. It is a difficult time for us parents but, remmeber they will be very very busy by design. This will help them adjust and before you know it it willl be "parents weekend".</p>
<p>At the new parents' orientation at Blair last year, the students did 2 funny skits on 1. boarders who call home constantly and 2. boarders who never call home. I knew my kid would never be a #1. I paid close attention to the #2 solutions because that's where I thought I would be. And yes, that is what happens when he goes away. Blair parents bothered by incommunicado kids were encouraged to call the dorm master to get an update. I imagine other schools allow you to do that if you are really wondering how he is doing.</p>
<p>burb parent that's funny lol My Middlesex D calls when money is on the decline and my Westover D if given the chance will be calling every night.</p>
<p>prepparent - DS rarely called home from BS except when finances were tight, but DS now a soph calls from college every week - just to say hi or ask nonsensical questions as to whether I know why the flags were flying half-mast in BOS yesterday...life is great...</p>
<p>creasemonkey, that's encouraging........they do mature and realize that Mom and dad have much more to offer than $$$$$$$$$$$$ smile</p>
<p>DD misplaced her cell phone charger and now has no battery left to return calls! This is her third yesr at BS and I'm feeling a bit lonely right now. I miss the mess, the laundry, the drama - yes, I miss it all!</p>
<p>ditto to shelley</p>
<p>shelley--I'll pm you my address so you can come over to clean and do laundry! :) No promise on the drama, though, D's gone off to school!</p>
<p>I conducted market research for a school several years ago and spoke to many parents about their decision to send their children to boarding school. I remember one parent talking at length about how she had not realized how important her child's (day) school was to her social network and how she lost contact with so many people when they were no longer attending ball games and school plays together. She had two kids at boarding school and praised Interlochen for how they created a community for boarders' parents. I know that, in the end, its all about the your child's education but, there's nothing wrong with asking about opportunities for parent involvement when you're visiting schools.</p>
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I remember one parent talking at length about how she had not realized how important her child's (day) school was to her social network and how she lost contact with so many people when they were no longer attending ball games and school plays together.
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<p>I can identify with this experience. Having spent 2 years on the road with GoalieGirl preceeding her going away, I suddenly found myself at a loss on weekends where I used to spend time with the other hockey team parents. I do correspond with a couple infrequently, not having as much in common any more, but it is a strange adjustment. </p>
<p>I think Interlochen probably has an advantage in setting up a parent network as their students are mostly from far away, which puts the parents on an equal (far away) footing. I'm glad to hear that it works.</p>
<p>They had parents attend the initial athletic team meetings on drop-off day and at my D's Field Hockey (her fall sport - and not as a goalie!) meeting they were soliciting parents for organizing tailgating events. Nice to see, but it is a bit of a drive for us. LOL</p>
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<p>This is the first weekend our D is away and I can already see this one happening. Well, actually practices for the club team would have started a few weeks ago so perhaps I'm not quite as pathetic. After 6 years of practices at least two times a week and at least two games a weekend that becomes part of your routine and social circle. How long till winter sports season at school so I can go see some games?</p>
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How long till winter sports season at school so I can go see some games?
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Not soon enough!</p>
<p>Most schools have winter sports games on or around Dec 1 (first week of 2nd term). Practices start typically last 2 weeks of Fall term.</p>
<p>Is you D playing Soccer or Field Hockey this term? Yeah, I know it isn't ice hockey, but it sure is better than the alternatives. One set of parents at my D's school comes up every other weekend (about 5 hours drive) as they have a vacation home about 1 hour away from campus to watch field hockey.</p>
<p>My husband and I have attended four soccer games (three high school and one collegiate) which did not include our son since he left nine days ago. Actually, you can double the three high school games to six, as we even stayed to watch portions of the JV games. This is his old hs and we know all of the parents; yes it is hard to let go and this is a big part of our social network.
I remember when my older son was at bs, it was a bit sad that there were fewer fans at the games.
We will probably still attend lots of plays, sporting events at the old hs, because we have been in this community for a long time and know so many of the kids and parents here.</p>
<p>Oh....and he did finally call...at 10:15pm Wednesday. He had just 5 minutes to speak. He is busy and loving it! (Except honors Spanish II is "boring"....I need to speak with him more about that; he generally loves Spanish, and languages in general).</p>
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<p>She's playing soccer and we definitely will go up for some of those games, but probably shouldn't show up for a game tomorrow only 3 days after dropping her off. Keeping her relatively close (two and a half hours) so we could make it to games was one of the factors that was used in evaluating schools. For ice hockey I think I have to wait till Thanksgiving for the club tournament team she is playing with.</p>
<p>Here it comes!...the empty nest looms at the start of next week. </p>
<p>We dropped SmilePup 2 off at BS this past Sunday (it went well, I think, although there were tears all around; we've heard from him and while he seems stressed, he's not unhappy and is definitely meeting people, doing things, getting the lay of the land, and feeling welcome). Then we leave for the college drop-off with SmilePup 1 on Friday. </p>
<p>Today Pup 1 is going off for a last visit with friends for a couple of days before he leaves for college, so we're getting a little taste of what next week will be like, and I must say, I'm all over with the heebie-jeebies right now! Since I've been at home for the last "X" years, it's going to be a HUGE adjustment for me as well as the Pups. In fact, I realized this morning that it's going to be just me and the original Smile Dog (8 year-old wire-haired fox terrier), knocking around the house together. Just the 2 of us...Scary. </p>
<p>I'm planning a major cleaning binge to keep myself occupied, figuring that there will be the added benefit that, if I put things in place now, they actually have a chance of staying that way for more than a few hours. Still, I know that cleaning therapy isn't going to get me very far, and eventually I am going to have to face my sadness. I'll do it; I'll get over it, but it's going to be heart-wrenching.</p>
<p>D'yer, I may have to take you up on your offer. I hope Mrs. Maker won't mind loaning out her child to a needy mother.</p>
<p>Oh smile dog I feel for you. While I still have kids at home, it is really hard letting go. Two of our kids are off and running at bs and are so far very happy. I'm starting a major clean out just like you. It's good therapy! D'yer might just take you up on your offer -- a kid fix is necessary when all have fled the nest. Best wishes!! and happy cleaning!</p>