Getting Closer to the Empty Nest
My daughter is a sophomore in High School and has become more independent by the day. In most ways this is a good thing. She can shop for herself, transport herself to appointments, and arrange her own schedule vis-a-vis after school activities, rehearsals, sports practices and tutor. I am proud of her burgeoning independence and know it will serve her well in life.
I am a little sad however for what it means for me. In a little over two years I will be preparing to send her off the college. Chances her, once she goes away to school she won't be back home to live. Well, she may come live at home after school, but it won't be the same I'm sure.
She is away on a sports spring training trip with her school and the house is so quiet without her. My husband and I are used to being "empty nesters" for seven weeks in the summer while both kids are away at camp. This week though, it is just my husband, son and me and the dynamic is quite different. Even though my daughter rarely hangs out with us at night and can be found most nights sitting on her bed with her computer in front of her, blackberry next to her and geometry book open, I miss her presence desperately.
She often says that she is different from the three of us and I have to agree. The three of us are type "A". Super organized, very neat and veering toward uptight/anxious when things get a little stressful. She is pretty messy, laid-back and has an ease about her that is a refreshing counterpart to the rest of the family's angst. She almost never gets stressed out, and when she does it is always with good reason. Her Yin to our Yang makes our family dynamic work and life is too vanilla without her around.
I am thankful that we have two more years of her energy in our house, and perhaps I will try to bottle up some of her carefree demeanor to draw on once she's gone. We will certainly need it.
This is an original post to www.nycmomsblog.com
Pamela W. is the author of the best-selling parenting guide "City Baby": a resource guide to having a baby in New York. The fourth edition is due out in September, 2010. She is also the co-founder of Mind Your Own Business Moms (MYOBmoms.com): a business dedicated to helping moms return to the workplace.
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