Feel a little sad that this may be DS's last year at Uni

[MaidenMotherCrone]

and so the last summer he will be at home for the summer.

If he decides to do the MSc he will possibly come of next summer but who knows.

He could end up on the other side of the world.

Be kind..... I'm feeling a little maudlin today

Don’t worry OP, I think my mother thought the same thing about me, and then I ended up moving back home for a year post-uni because I struggled to find a job!

In all seriousness, him moving out and away if what you’ve been preparing him for, if he’s able to do it you’ve done well! for you.

DD hasnt been at home this or last summer as well. Went to Camp America last year, then off to uni, decided to go back to CA this summer, will be home in two weeks, then off to uni again.
Her camp are doing everything to entice her back next year and her boss their has even offered her placement in NY for her uni.
We do talk to her every few days and when at uni she does come home regularly.
Im jsut happy that she is happy and thriving even though we do miss her.

He's not my PFB and his older siblings are still at home. I'm very, very proud of him and know he will do well in life but sometimes you really do have moments when you feel '20 years from now' is a lifetime away yet '20 years ago' feels like yesterday.

It's gone in the blink of an eye and they really do grow up when you are not looking.

My only DC left home six years ago. I got a puppy who I love to bits. I have become the person I was before I became a mum and am having a great time. DC and I Skype for a couple of hours every week and really I talk to them more now than when they lived with me.

I get it. My son is going into his third year and went back to his uni town at the beginning of July to find a job. He has said now he’s working in retail it will make popping home for the odd weekend harder and the Xmas and Easter breaks much shorter. Third year is feeling very different. 🙁

I get what you mean OP but he went to University and obviously enjoys it

Not all of us got lucky there .

Skype is a game changer. My DS, who is my PFB, has moved to the other side of the world but we Skype once or twice a week and it really makes me feel closer to him. My GP’s lived abroad when I was a kid and we used to have to rely on letter writing to keep in touch! Now there’s WhatsApp if we need to message each other quickly, Skype for our longer chats. He’s visiting home for a week soon too and I’ll go there at Christmas. Oh and my DS also lived at home during Uni so I didn’t have any adjustment period, he was just here one day gone the next! You’re right though, they do grow up in the blink of an eye.

Thank you for all for understanding. He phones/Skypes/messages often when he's away. He's so lovely though, lovely to be around.

I do have my own life, they are men, adults who are completely independent (and look after themselves) they don't require my mothering IFSWIM.

Hopefully they have wings to fly and roots to come home to. He may be 20 but he's still my baby bird.

OP, I sympathise. DTs are in final year of school and will go off to uni next year. One of them has been away from home training for a sport he does all bloody summer.Missed him so much. I know it's our job to prepare them for independence and I'm so glad they have a zest for life, But it's totally normal to feel left behind and to think, just a blink ago you were at nursery.

This motherhood thing is tough! I'm dreading DC1 going to university in a few weeks and yet there is worse to come it seems! I'm surrounded by the 'its wonderful when they're gone brigade' 😏

Whoops 'wonderful when they're gone' brigade.

Mine is also going into his final year at uni. He’s talking about moving permanently to his uni city afterwards. My DD already lives there. We facetime and message all the time but I miss her terribly. I don’t want them around all the time and I’m glad she has her own home with her lovely DP but wish we could just go for a coffee or wander round the shops now and again rather than having to make a weekend of it.