<p>Our 2 daughters are 5 years apart also, and are very close. We thought the younger one would be totally lost without her older sister...She is always happy to visit her older sister and see her when she comes home. But I think she is quite happy to be the only child at home too. I am spending her older sister's clothing budget on her, she has control of every Tivor in the house, and she gets to "borrow" all of her sister's clothes and shoes. She sleeps in her sister room sometimes when she forgets to wash her sheets and she has the bathroom all to herself. No, life really isn't that bad for the sibling that's left behind.</p>
<p>oldfort: Experiencing almost the same things in my home. D's are almost 5 years apart, 4 school years. I was dreading youngest daughter's reaction when older D went off to college, but it really has been fine. They are very close and still feel those bonds whether they have daily interaction or not.</p>
<p>D is in NYU and we are only one hour away, which helps. But the girls have not seen each other as we are giving older D her space. They communicate in some form every few days. I bought younger D a folding "bed" from Costco, along with sheets and a blanket that we brought to D's dorm on move-in day. Younger D has not used them yet, but knowing that they are there really helped in the transition. (D's friends and roomate's friends who have slept over have used the folding mat several times already.) </p>
<p>The girls are going to stay together at NYU over Columbus day weekend. Younger D has it on her calendar and can't wait. But overall, she has been so busy herself both academically and socially as a hs freshman that she doesn't have the time to dwell on missing her sister.</p>
<p>And like oldfort's D, she has the added benefit of raiding her sister' drawers to wear anything left home, her own (cleaner) bathroom, and much more computer time.</p>
<p>I feel blessed that both girls are happy, independent and thriving.</p>