Getting Your Kid Off to College


Links Home Making the Choice Scholarships The Applications Financial Aid Waiting for Decisions The Final Choice College To-Do High School To-Do The Bank Account Choosing a Computer Communication Plan Clothes and Supplies Orientation Class Registration Buying Textbooks The Roommate Handling the Move Saying Goodbye The Empty Nest	Saying Goodbye If there are opportunities to see your child frequently, saying goodbye won't be so hard; if you're leaving the child and won't see them again until a holiday, make the break clean just like we were taught when dropping them off at preschool for the first time. A clean break is easier to manage than a long drawn-out one. Then, it was for them; now, it is for you. Try to keep the tears to a minimum (I'm talking about your tears, of course; your child will be fine). Tearing up is acceptable; outright bawling is not. Keep repeating this to yourself over and over again as the time grows nearer to say goodbye. I would say the two most difficult parts after saying goodbye are the walk to the car and then the walk into the house when you get home. To alleviate those two stressful times, my suggestion is to not get in the car and not go home right away. Instead, walk to a local sandwich shop or pizza place and allow the separation to be ok. Be sure to look to the future instead of dwelling on the goodbye.
©2009 Lorelei J. Logsdon. All rights reserved.