Advice on child fleeing the nest - Page 15

PugMum · 09-02-2008, 05:51 PM

We bought son a new Apple MacBook and it has already come in useful. We have one here at home and when we noticed that he was on line, using the camera we did a surprise inspection! This is his first year living off campus and one rule was that as long as we pay his rent, we want to make sure he keeps it clean. HAHA

It was fun to be able to see him and make sure he is doing fine. As a mom, I had to make sure he has food in the fridge and that his bread is not moldy. He had plenty of soda, but NO MILK. ugh!
It was funny, he was walking around, carrying his laptop from room to room. He asked if I wanted to see his toothbrush and he would prove it's wet from use. Told him just to call at bedtime and brush in front of the camera

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buglover · 09-02-2008, 05:54 PM

That's funny PugMum. I have huge fears that my son will stop showering and brushing his teeth once he's away from home because when he's at a friend's house he never showers or brushes his teeth! All they drink are energy drinks which I ban from my house!

Gutmutter · 09-06-2008, 07:52 AM

Just a reminder - it's time to send care packages! They don't have to be elaborate... favorite snack, stress relief toy/game, pictures. Maybe a gift card to a pizza/sub place. They have those at drug/grocery stores now so that's easy. Stock up on fun cards. I sent my daughter a funny Halloween card 6 years ago (a messed up Jackolantern that said "Don't drink and carve") and found out she saved it all these years.

chitex3 · 09-06-2008, 07:20 PM

Thanks for sharing your advice with children fleeing the nest. I made two different week-end visits last week, to help one daughter finish setting up her room,and hauling her refrigerator, then drove to the other college to repeat the same thing with the other daughter, with my high-school senior who announced, I don't think I want to attend either of these schools! Which is fine with me, but darn, the timing was horrible, as we live in Texas, and were trying to make it back before Gustav.

I went back to work on Tuesday, which I teach at the high school they all attend/attended, so I had the love of another 150 kids!

House is alittle quiet, but I'm enjoying it, and they love their schools!

PugMum · 09-06-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gutmutter

Just a reminder - it's time to send care packages! They don't have to be elaborate... favorite snack, stress relief toy/game, pictures. Maybe a gift card to a pizza/sub place. They have those at drug/grocery stores now so that's easy. Stock up on fun cards. I sent my daughter a funny Halloween card 6 years ago (a messed up Jackolantern that said "Don't drink and carve") and found out she saved it all these years.

I have been getting stuff together for the past few weeks! I was at LnT and found a "Soap Squirting Dish Scrub" by OXO. It is a scrub sponge on a handle, liquid dish soap goes into the handle and you push a button on the handle for the soap to come out. I thought it might make dishwashing easier since son is the dishwasher

I already got him a cookbook, "A Man, A Can, A Plan". All the pages are plastic coated and each recipe has PICTURES of the ingredients needed.

I am planning to make him his favorite scones tomorrow and then send the package out on Monday.

Cootie · 09-06-2008, 07:48 PM

I have two kids - one is done with college and the other a senior who attends college in my state. Their dorm rooms were so small that the best thing for them was to simplify and not have too much! Which means that most of their stuff was at home with me!

My favorite thing to do with my daughter when she is away is to chat online. We both turn our computers on in the morning and usually just say "good morning!" or talk about what we are having for breakfast, how the weather is, etc. And at night while we are both working on the computer, we have our email on (we use gmail chat) so if either of us has the urge to share our day, we can. There have been times that she needed to vent with somebody and I was safe for her.

As my kids moved into apartments, I found that it worked well for me to give them my old microwave or vacuum cleaner, etc. Very often these items would get abused by roommates and it took the pressure off of them to worry about their stuff. And I got my cupboards cleaned out of old dishes, etc. And I could have some new items! Both of my kids were very appreciative of anything we gave them.

I wish all of you well as your kids go off to college. Mr. Cootie and I are here "alone together" now - it is quite interesting after all these years to be a couple together rather than a family. We do like our quiet house and got used to our empty nest pretty easily. Of course we love having our kids home as well! My son told me today that he misses being here, that it is a "safe and together" place. We lead a pretty simple life - I am happy to know that he appreciates our home.

PWS · 09-07-2008, 04:38 PM

Speaking as someone who's been an empty nester for several years now...the surprising thing is how quickly you can get used to all that quiet and privacy! And not having to cook dinner at a certain time every night, or at all. And not having to worry about whether the kids are safely home. When they do come home all of that switches back on, although I try not to let them know I'm actually kind of waiting up til the last one is in. (I know it isn't "logical", I don't worry if they are home when they are gone, but....)
What's also surprising to us is that when the kids come home they immediately revert to "take care of me" mode, which I'm sure they haven't been in all the time they were gone or they wouldn't have survived. Instead of acting like "houseguests" and offering to help, etc., they start acting like, well, kids. Definitely led to some irritation on all sides until we hashed it out.

luvsginger · 09-07-2008, 05:25 PM

Gutmutter - Thanks for the reminder. I received a coupon for free liquid hand soap that is so cute, you can choose it either in the shape of pumpkins or a ghost with a $10 purchase at Bath and Body Works. I use their body butter everyday, so I'll have no problem spending the $10. I thought this would be a cute surprise at Halloween time instead of candy. Of course, I'll send her the usual See's suckers that she loves to share with her roommates. My daughter's been moved in exactly a week now and each time I hear a car drive up, I think its her and my husband still leaves the porch light on before he goes to bed.

Gutmutter · 09-08-2008, 03:11 PM

I sent my daughter halloween undies and socks. When you're doing your own laundry, you can never have too many of those.

**Mantenna** · 09-10-2008, 07:11 PM

Greetings, all! I'm settled in at school, and I took a picture of the water cooler, just so the absolute truth could be revealed. It's sitting on top of the refrigerator:

Also, if you'll indulge me, here's a picture of my corner of the room, just for kicks. I'm sure there were more creative setups going on amidst all of you.

I hope everyone is doing well and that the move-in processes were without inconvenience!

09-02-2008, 05:51 PM	#141
PugMum Hockey Mom Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: North of Reality Posts: 1,465	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest We bought son a new Apple MacBook and it has already come in useful. We have one here at home and when we noticed that he was on line, using the camera we did a surprise inspection! This is his first year living off campus and one rule was that as long as we pay his rent, we want to make sure he keeps it clean. HAHA It was fun to be able to see him and make sure he is doing fine. As a mom, I had to make sure he has food in the fridge and that his bread is not moldy. He had plenty of soda, but NO MILK. ugh! It was funny, he was walking around, carrying his laptop from room to room. He asked if I wanted to see his toothbrush and he would prove it's wet from use. Told him just to call at bedtime and brush in front of the camera

09-02-2008, 05:54 PM	#142
buglover Praying for my buddy. Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Age: 34 Posts: 9,547 Blog Entries: 4	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest That's funny PugMum. I have huge fears that my son will stop showering and brushing his teeth once he's away from home because when he's at a friend's house he never showers or brushes his teeth! All they drink are energy drinks which I ban from my house! __________________ Roasting in the California Sun.

09-06-2008, 07:52 AM	#143
Gutmutter Blessed Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: In an attitude of gratitude Posts: 4,942	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest Just a reminder - it's time to send care packages! They don't have to be elaborate... favorite snack, stress relief toy/game, pictures. Maybe a gift card to a pizza/sub place. They have those at drug/grocery stores now so that's easy. Stock up on fun cards. I sent my daughter a funny Halloween card 6 years ago (a messed up Jackolantern that said "Don't drink and carve") and found out she saved it all these years. __________________ Count your blessings!

09-06-2008, 07:20 PM	#144
chitex3 FORT Newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I miss Chicago, like Houston Posts: 6	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest Thanks for sharing your advice with children fleeing the nest. I made two different week-end visits last week, to help one daughter finish setting up her room,and hauling her refrigerator, then drove to the other college to repeat the same thing with the other daughter, with my high-school senior who announced, I don't think I want to attend either of these schools! Which is fine with me, but darn, the timing was horrible, as we live in Texas, and were trying to make it back before Gustav. I went back to work on Tuesday, which I teach at the high school they all attend/attended, so I had the love of another 150 kids! House is alittle quiet, but I'm enjoying it, and they love their schools!

09-06-2008, 07:48 PM	#146
Cootie FORT Fan Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: the base of the mountain Posts: 209	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest I have two kids - one is done with college and the other a senior who attends college in my state. Their dorm rooms were so small that the best thing for them was to simplify and not have too much! Which means that most of their stuff was at home with me! My favorite thing to do with my daughter when she is away is to chat online. We both turn our computers on in the morning and usually just say "good morning!" or talk about what we are having for breakfast, how the weather is, etc. And at night while we are both working on the computer, we have our email on (we use gmail chat) so if either of us has the urge to share our day, we can. There have been times that she needed to vent with somebody and I was safe for her. As my kids moved into apartments, I found that it worked well for me to give them my old microwave or vacuum cleaner, etc. Very often these items would get abused by roommates and it took the pressure off of them to worry about their stuff. And I got my cupboards cleaned out of old dishes, etc. And I could have some new items! Both of my kids were very appreciative of anything we gave them. I wish all of you well as your kids go off to college. Mr. Cootie and I are here "alone together" now - it is quite interesting after all these years to be a couple together rather than a family. We do like our quiet house and got used to our empty nest pretty easily. Of course we love having our kids home as well! My son told me today that he misses being here, that it is a "safe and together" place. We lead a pretty simple life - I am happy to know that he appreciates our home.

09-07-2008, 04:38 PM	#147
PWS FORT Fogey Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 6,300	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest Speaking as someone who's been an empty nester for several years now...the surprising thing is how quickly you can get used to all that quiet and privacy! And not having to cook dinner at a certain time every night, or at all. And not having to worry about whether the kids are safely home. When they do come home all of that switches back on, although I try not to let them know I'm actually kind of waiting up til the last one is in. (I know it isn't "logical", I don't worry if they are home when they are gone, but....) What's also surprising to us is that when the kids come home they immediately revert to "take care of me" mode, which I'm sure they haven't been in all the time they were gone or they wouldn't have survived. Instead of acting like "houseguests" and offering to help, etc., they start acting like, well, kids. Definitely led to some irritation on all sides until we hashed it out.

09-07-2008, 05:25 PM	#148
luvsginger Oogies Revenge Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Christmas Town Posts: 1,224	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest Gutmutter - Thanks for the reminder. I received a coupon for free liquid hand soap that is so cute, you can choose it either in the shape of pumpkins or a ghost with a $10 purchase at Bath and Body Works. I use their body butter everyday, so I'll have no problem spending the $10. I thought this would be a cute surprise at Halloween time instead of candy. Of course, I'll send her the usual See's suckers that she loves to share with her roommates. My daughter's been moved in exactly a week now and each time I hear a car drive up, I think its her and my husband still leaves the porch light on before he goes to bed. __________________ I should have known you'd know where to find the boys and the booze.

09-08-2008, 03:11 PM	#149
Gutmutter Blessed Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: In an attitude of gratitude Posts: 4,942	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest I sent my daughter halloween undies and socks. When you're doing your own laundry, you can never have too many of those. __________________ Count your blessings!

09-10-2008, 07:11 PM	#150
Mantenna . Join Date: Apr 2003 Age: 22 Posts: 8,519 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Advice on child fleeing the nest Greetings, all! I'm settled in at school, and I took a picture of the water cooler, just so the absolute truth could be revealed. It's sitting on top of the refrigerator: Also, if you'll indulge me, here's a picture of my corner of the room, just for kicks. I'm sure there were more creative setups going on amidst all of you. I hope everyone is doing well and that the move-in processes were without inconvenience!