Moved him 4 hours away. Both of his older sisters came as well. So a nice family weekend. We got him moved in and dorm room cleaned in under an hour.

He is a great kid and did his first 2 years at the local college. So I got to have him around for 20 years.

I didn't think it would affect me that much. But coming home to a empty house really hit me hard yesterday... Trying to keep my man card in tact!!! anybody else have a hard time letting go?

I’m 8 years away from that and already dreading it.
Congrats on raising a fine young man, and getting him out into the world.

Moved my daughter in last Thursday for her freshman year at Penn State (she is the youngest of two). About a 3 hour drive from here. The oldest is still at home taking the long road through school.

It is a little tough not having her around but I'm good. However, she's not having an easy transition. I told her to be patient, get involved in clubs especially in the college she is currently looking to major in and meet people. She'll make new friends and by the end of the semester she'll be fine. She said "We'll see" lol

Your man card is in tact. The emotions you are feeling prove it.

I changed the locks when I got home from dropping off the youngest. That was 25 years ago, though, so I've probably mellowed since then.

quote:

It is a little tough not having her around but I'm good. However, she's not having an easy transition. I told her to be patient, get involved in clubs especially in the college she is currently looking to major in and meet people. She'll make new friends and by the end of the semester she'll be fine. She said "We'll see" lol

Same hor my Son. His classes don't start til today and he was wondering what to do to fill his time. Told him he will have to talk to people in his dorm and join some clubs or work out at the gym!!!

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
I changed the locks when I got home from dropping off the youngest. That was 25 years ago, though, so I've probably mellowed since then.

I hear horror stories from friends and co-workers about there kids and can't even imagine some of the shit. My son does random housework when I am not around on top of mowing and snow removal in the winter. that also makes me sad lol

He is going to have a stressful 2 years of difficult classes for chemical engineering. But he should be set entering the work force!!!!

I am excited for his future!!

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:
I hear horror stories from friends and co-workers about there kids and can't even imagine some of the shit. My son does random housework when I am not around on top of mowing and snow removal in the winter. that also makes me sad lol

Sounds like you'll have YOUR work cut out for you now LOL

Our daughter moved out to go to college here so it wasn't as traumatic as moving to another state. Home on weekends as she adjusted, laundry, food, supplies, eventually that ended up being every other week, then monthly, depending on demand for cash...

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:
My son does random housework when I am not around on top of mowing and snow removal in the winter. that also makes me sad lol

Sounds like a perfect excuse for that new tractor!

The empty house was the hardest part. My oldest went away and went a little sideways with Greek life. Partied hard let grades slip but made some great friendships. My youngest ended up at the same university and was probably the only reason he put his head down and finished his degree. The thought of his sister having a degree from his dream university and him not having one was his motivation. The joke in our house was I was going to have one graduation cake and he had a 2 year head start. It ended up taking him a little more than 5 years, but he finished. At his graduation, we frantically looked through the program to make sure he was really there. My daughter is the complete opposite. She had one C and one B through her 4 years of a degree heavily weighted toward sciences. Chancellors list every semester except the organic chemistry semester where she had her only C. She walked with 6 chords while balancing Greek life and a relationship.

Ronin, we had an empty nest which was an adjustment for my wife and I. Then COVID came and sent my freshly minted 21 year old and my just came back from her first spring break freshman home. Having them back at those stages in their life was just as difficult. I went from traveling every week to house arrest like many others. My perspective on watching them struggle not being able to socialize, allowed me to better accept my own work struggles. When they went back to school my wife and I again struggled with components of the empty nest. I currently have both under my roof again. My oldest is saving money and getting established in his career and my youngest moved back home and is working on her Masters and clinical rotations. In addition, her boyfriend is living in our guest room and attending law school on a complete free ride. I’m sure my oldest is getting prepared to move out and he’s in a great place financially. Maybe your son comes back, maybe he doesn’t but you have a strong appreciation for the time you already had. I’ll be sad when the kids go again, but happy to have them off the payroll. Best of luck on the new stage in your journey.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:
My son does random housework when I am not around on top of mowing and snow removal in the winter. that also makes me sad lol

Sounds like a perfect excuse for that new tractor!

Well I bought a Toro last winter for the snow blower. I would use a tractor for grass but my back yard is on a steep hill and broken up alot by the trees, garage etc. si I will have to stick with the push mower. Unless I hire it done. Not looking forward to doing it myself.

My daughter goes back to URI on Sept 3rd, She`s rushing this year so I don't think we`ll see as much of her this year. We live about an hour and twenty minutes away.
She worked a ton this summer and we`re feeling good about this upcoming Sophomore year.

I delivered my last child to college last weekend. Only 3 hours away, but yes having a difficult time with the empty nest thing. I have more of a problem when they're teenagers and start to push away. But, could be a whole lot worse. My brother was an empty nester years ago, and divorced. So, he's all alone in a 3000 square foot house.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:
anybody else have a hard time letting go?

My son, our only child, is 25 yo, but when we dropped him off at college years ago, the return home was rough, very sad. And the next couple of weeks, we were depressed, it was difficult. We spent 18 years of being a threesome, a very tight family unit, and my wife and I were back to square one, instant empty nest. It took a little while for us to get reacquainted as just a couple, particularly dinner time.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:

quote:

It is a little tough not having her around but I'm good. However, she's not having an easy transition. I told her to be patient, get involved in clubs especially in the college she is currently looking to major in and meet people. She'll make new friends and by the end of the semester she'll be fine. She said "We'll see" lol

Same hor my Son. His classes don't start til today and he was wondering what to do to fill his time. Told him he will have to talk to people in his dorm and join some clubs or work out at the gym!!!

Her classes started yesterday. Each day she says she feels a little better. Still getting a text or two per day saying she is sad and misses home. Told her it will take a while but she'll get passed the homesickness.

I'll admit that there was a time or two where I was going to tell her we're on our way but I fought off the urge.

She's a bit shy but she's like a magnet, other kids will just come up and start talking to her. So she'll have friends in no time. lol

My wife and I dropped off our youngest daughter at Miss State last week, and the empty house has been difficult on both of us. Probably has been worse on her, since she's home alone when I'm at work.

To make matters worse, daughter only seems to contact us when she wants something, so our running joke when she texts randomly to ask me/us how our day is going is to look at one another and ask "wonder what she's wanting...?"

We are told that our job all along has been to prepare them for the world out there, and that we should look at her independence as an indicator that we did our job well. Okay, I suppose so, but sometimes a dad just needs a hug from the kiddo.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
I changed the locks when I got home from dropping off the youngest. That was 25 years ago, though, so I've probably mellowed since then.

Haha, this reminds me of something Dad said. My younger brother and his high school girlfriend broke up as they entered college. The young lady and my parents are still tight to this day. Dad claims they let my brother go and kept her.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin101:
I didn't think it would affect me that much. But coming home to a empty house really hit me hard yesterday... Trying to keep my man card in tact!!! anybody else have a hard time letting go?

My kid moved out of state a couple of weeks ago. I'm still having a bit of a hard time. I almost picked up the phone last Saturday to see if he wanted to play 18. Whoops, old habits are hard to break. The move was good for him and his better half but damn, his mom and I miss him.

Thanks for the responses. makes me feel a little better knowing I'm not alone.

Hoping he finds a happy, healthy routine moving forward!