<p>Ok...not to be confused with the "helicopter" parent...but....I am waiting on a daily basis to hear from my son about his auditions/acceptances. He finished his last audition on Friday, and had gotten one acceptance. He's working on his MM in vocal performance now, but it really feels the same to me, as when he was in HS and waiting to see where he'd spend his next 4 yrs. I honestly have to tell myself to back off with him, so I don't "hover"..but geez its hard!! My daughter is going the tradtional path. Getting her BS and planning to work in a related field in order to go on to her masters..but there is a clear cut plan...and at least she'll be working (we hope)...we have some good connections that may help her, but in this economy who knows. Our son, on the other hand, is embarking on probably one of the trickiest paths there is! He's a voice major!! Tenor...which I suppose could be a bit easier then a female soprano, but, he won't "come into his voice" for several more years. Thus, the hovering parent..(secretly)..I do hate that term, because I don't call the kids teachers, profs...blah blah..but, I want to know what they're doing, and how they are making their decisions and why......I keep my mouth as shut as possible, but I will make suggestions.</p>
<p>Am I the only parent like this? Some of you seem so together and grounded..lol, when I read your posts I feel like you are so calm, cool and collected.....it makes me wonder about myself!</p>
<p>You aren’t alone. Son has his BM ('07), was half hearted about applying to grad school for money reasons, and actually withdrew apps last year. He didn’t apply this year, but he has a tenured chair, and is cobbling a meager existence from that, a couple of contract teaching jobs, some private teaching, some gigs and an almost ft (though low pay day job). He may be worried about additional debt, particularly in this economy.</p>
<p>He continues to audition, and has had positive feedback. He’s living at home (with our blessing) and we stay out of his hair, but come next fall he has to decide if he wants grad school or I’m going to double the rent. ;)</p>
<p>I do wish he was more communicative with his plans, but that’s the way he is.</p>
<p>i wonder if its that young men don’t think to keep the “supporting” parents in the loop…thus creating that hovering personality. Oy vey!! I can’t wait to know where they will both end up:)</p>
<p>My son (still 18) thinks he can do it all, but in the end turns to us for a lot of the support stuff…I try to stay in the background, but it’s hard when he’s about to miss a deadline!</p>
<p>Papengena–we are also waiting to hear from D (Mezzo) for MM news. She has already heard positively via (the much discussed)“unofficial” emails and telecons from the teachers with whom she wants to study. I have been pretty detached from the process and feel confident she will have some good offers. She always has been very independant, currently has a great job, already has several professional paying gigs and is the “hardest working girl in show business”… BUT there is still an underlying anxiety that I am constantly trying to keep in check.</p>
<p>Okay…DD is home from BS on spring break and audtions are over…so what did I find myself doing tonight…Talked into playing hide-n-seek with DD and her best friend…in the dark no less…can’t wait till tomorrow when I image I will see my image plastered on her face book page as I was trying to crawl back out of the dryer that I had managed to squeeze myself into…easier getting in than out!</p>
<p>Our DS (and us, his long suffering, ever supportive parents!) are awaiting decisions for music performance masters programs for this fall.
He has one official acceptance, one verbal with papers on their way, and two no news at all. Then there’s the matter of finances…he’s hoping there will be TA or scholarships or something to help make it happen.</p>
<p>The wait IS easier with one acceptance though not much.</p>
<p>opera-mom: may we ask what kind of dryer you have? </p>
<p>There was this dreadful tale last week in the newspaper about a poor lady in NJ who was in her garage, tripped over her cocker spaniel, fell into her recycling bin, and was stuck there for three days, until the neighbors, having noticed they had not seen her, convinced the police to check on her. She was tiny and it was a big bin! I have not heard any reports on her well-being since then. </p>
<p>So, the question is: did someone have to pull you out?</p>
<p>Glad I could give you all a laugh…our kids are soooo much fun (okay…at 18 they’re 1/2 kids/ 1/2 adults)…after the hide and seek I had the added pleasure of listening as she and her friend prank called friends…“Hello…you look so pretty… through the window”…only she could come up with that voice with a slow drawal…we were in hysterics by the time she was done…as were the friends on the other end of the phone!</p>
<p>Maytag dryer! large capacity…and NO…If I’m going to get in…I can most certainly get myself out…However, DD did run for her camera and took several snaps…The previous hiding spot was a clothes hamper…Couldn’t fit…but didn’t have time to change locations so put the lid on my head and draped clothes over it…didn’t work I was found right away…</p>
<p>Opera-Mom- I have to ask if the dryer still works? Sometimes," uneven weight" can throw front loading machines off balance and the need to be re-calibrated. Love to know what you’d tell the repairman (THAT could give rise to a whole new Maytag Repairman commercial!!) :D</p>
<p>opera mom…you gave me a good laugh!! I have to admit I miss the days where there was lots of silly fun going on around here:( At least I have the weekend to look forward to my daughter and her bf coming home for part of spring break…sadly, my son is going to the opposite side of the country to meet his girlfreinds family. I guess its only fair, we’ve gotten to meet her lots of times, lol. The bad part for mommy is, there birthday is next week…it would be soooo nice to have them all together again to celebrate it!!</p>