As we prepare to launch my youngest daughter out of the nest, there are many things to do on the college checklist. Filling out forms (so many forms), securing housing, choosing a meal plan, signing up for courses, outfitting the dorm room, planning move-in day. It’s a whirlwind of tasks that separate you from the emotional inevitability of what is about to happen.
Come August, my husband and I will be living without children in our home for the first time in 21 years. I will no doubt miss my youngest, my baby, and worry about her every single day as she embarks on this great new adventure. It’s a big transition for all of us.
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So, for now, it’s easier to focus on the tangible to-do list instead of on the emotional rollercoaster that is sure to follow. There will be plenty of time for that.
As we launch our children into the world, we too are launching into a new chapter of life—reconnecting with who we were before becoming parents. Put your seatbelts on, it’s going to be a fun ride … there may even be some G-force involved.
Amanda is the mom of two, a reporter for WRAL-TV and the author of several books including some on motherhood. Find her here on Mondays.