<p>HisGraceFillsMe:</p>
<p>You better not lose your enthusiasm for Sonoma! I’ve read a lot of your posts and have been enjoying your enthusiasm.</p>
<p>For me as a parent, it really hits home once the kid is dropped off at school and they’re no longer at home - it’s an emptiness. We just have to realize that the kid needs to take the next step but it’s still an emptiness. After our youngest went off to college it was so empty here we decided to replace her with a dog and went and got a dog at a rescue place (that this younger D actually did a lot of volunteering for).</p>
<p>For the student, it’ll really hits home once you’re there. It’ll hit home in a few ways though. Some of the ‘dreams’ are replaced with the reality of having to wake up, sit in class, do homework, take tests, be concerned about grades, etc. But, it also means you’re more on your own, self-directed to succeed or not in school, socially, etc. Once the reality hits the student will likely experience some let-downs but also some great new experiences. It depends on their outlook and expectations. I don’t think you should worry too much about the school since these ups/downs of excitement versus reality would apply to any school. </p>
<p>But anyway, I hope you keep up your enthusiasm.</p>