I've been dreading this coming event. My only child, darling daughter, everthing in my world is leaving home in a few weeks for college. I've told myself countless times that this is necessary. That this is just like Kindergarden, I'll just walk her up to the playground, and watch her go into the school. It will be ok. You'll live. She'll be fine.
But why is it that something that was such a momentous event at five years old; just doesn't compare to the impact of leaving home for college? I guess it's because after her day at school at college, she won't be coming home everyday to see her mom and dad. She'll be busy with new friends, new people, new surroundings...and I won't be there. We have shared everything for the last 18 years. But; I want to be strong. Since graduation, I have let her do things I didn't dream of her doing last year. I let her go, I let her go drive around the state to see friends, I let her stay up, I "ignore" the stuff I see on her facebook page. I want to separate my "mommy-ness" from our relationship-I suppose so it won't hurt so much?
I don't know. I guess I'm getting ready to let her go; but I'm also going to be ready to swoop down at any moments notice to pick up pieces and fix things. I know the University derides these parents as "helicopter" parents; but seriously, what should a mom do? She's my only child, I've been there for EVERYTHING, and now because the University says so... I'm supposed to just let her just flounder about and make awful and costly mistakes? I think a helicopter parent is like a hospital mercy flight. The ability and need to come in and "parent" my child is like triage to fix broken hearts, emotions and repair family bonds. Universities can frown all they want. If she needs me... I'm there.
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