- Joined
- Oct 10, 2007
- Messages
- 3,181
As you may find from reading previous posts (like, for eight years), we sent our twins alone - well, alone, together. We had our mini vaca during Orientation, and felt that 1) there was no way we could afford another trip to Colorado (from the Steeler Nation) while two other kids were also in college, and 2) it was the beginning of their you-make-it-on-your-own adult life.
Were they scared witless? I'm sure they were pretty dang nervous. Was I a complete basket case? Yep. Was Dad a mixture of button-popping pride and "what's this wet stuff coming from my eyes?" Duh.
Each family has to decide these matters for themselves, and no amount here of "This is what is RIGHT" will change that. Ask your soon-to-be Basic. Check out your bank balance. How much stock do you own in Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex tissue)?
For us, it worked out best just as it unfolded.
A quick story: since the kids were (by the airlines at that time) considered "Active Duty" we were able to accompany them to the gate for the long (1-1/2 hour) wait for boarding. Just Mom and Dad went with them. While there, we sat next to a young man who had JUST that May graduated from USMA (West Point for those into Geographical distinctions), and was bound (in a few weeks) for some helicopter pilot training, I think at Rucker, but it's been years now so please pardon my old-lady brain. Anyway, he told the guys all about his Beast Barracks, life at USMA (or unlife, ha!), etc. What a godsend that young man was to us!
Soooo, go to Colorado and see your son/daughter off? Sure. Have the most normal of normal early summer days at home then send them off with your stoutest smile and hold back the tears as you stand on the back porch when they pull away? Yes. It's up to you.
Mine have said that the best thing we did was have a huge PARTY!!!! for hours and hours that Friday night before, went fishing Saturday, Sunday was spent at a long Mass, Monday - Dad took the day off and we had brunch out on the porch, played catch in the yard, fenced with their dearest friends, had a family-only BBQ that went well into the night. Tuesday, more Mass and Dad again was home and we had ALL their favorite foods. Wednesday, that six o'clock a.m. flight came early.
Were they scared witless? I'm sure they were pretty dang nervous. Was I a complete basket case? Yep. Was Dad a mixture of button-popping pride and "what's this wet stuff coming from my eyes?" Duh.
Each family has to decide these matters for themselves, and no amount here of "This is what is RIGHT" will change that. Ask your soon-to-be Basic. Check out your bank balance. How much stock do you own in Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex tissue)?
For us, it worked out best just as it unfolded.
A quick story: since the kids were (by the airlines at that time) considered "Active Duty" we were able to accompany them to the gate for the long (1-1/2 hour) wait for boarding. Just Mom and Dad went with them. While there, we sat next to a young man who had JUST that May graduated from USMA (West Point for those into Geographical distinctions), and was bound (in a few weeks) for some helicopter pilot training, I think at Rucker, but it's been years now so please pardon my old-lady brain. Anyway, he told the guys all about his Beast Barracks, life at USMA (or unlife, ha!), etc. What a godsend that young man was to us!
Soooo, go to Colorado and see your son/daughter off? Sure. Have the most normal of normal early summer days at home then send them off with your stoutest smile and hold back the tears as you stand on the back porch when they pull away? Yes. It's up to you.
Mine have said that the best thing we did was have a huge PARTY!!!! for hours and hours that Friday night before, went fishing Saturday, Sunday was spent at a long Mass, Monday - Dad took the day off and we had brunch out on the porch, played catch in the yard, fenced with their dearest friends, had a family-only BBQ that went well into the night. Tuesday, more Mass and Dad again was home and we had ALL their favorite foods. Wednesday, that six o'clock a.m. flight came early.
