No Escape!

This is the time of the year for back to school. Some parents are seeing their children off to school for the first time while others are watching their children start college.

For many families, going to college means leaving home and going to another city. This could be the first time parents and children are separated.

As much as we want to be in a groove and know exactly what is going to happen next, life just is not like that!

We have to trust that we have instilled in our children the principles to carry them through new situations and choices. Since we are constantly learning new ways and new approaches, we must accept that our children can do that too. Since they are younger, they can probably adapt better than we do!

The beautiful thing about going off to college is that there will be several others with the same feelings of trepidation. Your son or daughter will come in contact with lots of others who will all be experiencing the same new things.

We have learned from Prof. Randy Pausch that our most important commodity is time. We cannot make time. So, it is very important that we maximize time by using it wisely.

In the case of children away, whether they are in the armed forces or at school, or perhaps just living away from us, it does not serve us well to sit around and pine.

Those of us who “crop”, will be making scrapbooks of youngster’s achievements, their friends and family.

How about thinking toward the next major celebration when the offspring will be back home? There will be Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas.

The hobby stores are already full of projects and decorations for these holidays. This might be the year to make some special gifts!

This could be the year to make your old Christmas cake or shortbread recipe. These can be made now and age for the holidays.

You could volunteer for a fall project, address Christmas cards or buy gifts. Of course, you could redecorate a room, tidy a closet, or any of those projects we all put off.

By keeping busy, it will be very soon that your offspring will be home for the holidays and they will be as happy to see you as you are to see him or her!