BLOODY MISERABLE. Teens leaving again. Join me here for wallowing...

[TheDogIsInCharge]

Just dropped my son off at the station as he's heading back to university.

He's a hard one to say goodbye to as he's such a sociable lad and very easy going. He'll have breakfast with me, we usually watch something silly together late afternoon (Doctor Who is the favourite, even though we've seen them so often, David Tennant era obvs), we do long dog walks at the weekend. He's just very present which makes it so hard to wave him off every time.

I don't know why this doesn't get any easier. But it really doesn't. I miss the very bones of him.

The teen girl leaves next Friday and whilst she's less sociable, I'm really going to miss her chaotic energy and madcap sense of humour. The house just feels so quiet and bland without them. Which is mean on my husband but he likes a very quiet life so things do dial right down when the youngsters aren't here.

I've signed up for two free open uni courses which got neglected over Christmas, I have shit tons do do around the house and work will be the usual fun/hell. But this is my least favourite month of the year at the best of times.

What are you all doing to keep you occupied and cheery? Thank god I'm not doing dry January and can look forward to a glass of very chilled white wine in about five hours time...

I agree with you. Although we are all still rattling around the house with varying degrees of post flu still feeling ill stuff. When she eventually goes I will miss the energy.

Nothing to be done but putting a date in the diary for a meet up. I think this term I might go up for a night an book a nice hotel and just watch telly and have room service and a a bit of a catch up together.

I hear you. Mine went last night and is 450 miles away now. 😢

He may be back for Easter or in June. Had a wonderful month with him - filling the house with his big personality, cheeriness and friends. DD has As this year so she will be off in September too. Can’t imagine what that will be like.

Also have lurgy and it’s grey outside so feeling sorry for self. Generally quite an optimist so I will pull myself out of it but bleh.

Me too, except waiting for summer when the girl leaves.
The high of collecting him compared to the low of dropping him off.

Same, DS went back last night. Even his Dsis cried last night which she didn't before.

It's all so hard. Housework and laundry today.

I'm looking forward to DD1 going to university in September, so excited for DD1. I'd built myself up for her going last year, then she didn't get expected results and took a year out, so I feel like we've had a bonus year and that she is more than ready to spread her wings.

As for what I do to stay occupied, just the same stuff I always do. And I don't expect nor attempt to be cheery all the time.

DS was more than ready last year, and so were we. The feeling of relief when he went was huge.

I think I miss him more this year than last!

DH and I currently on the way back up to London today (on M5 atm) taking DS1 back to Uni.

It's been lovely having him home and don't want to take him back. I shouldn't really complain as we got an extra week with him (was supposed to take him back last week, but DS2 was still recovering from his op).

Thankfully DS2 is still at home for another year or so before he's off to Uni, by which time DS1 would have left 😊

I have two at uni.

I'm taking in a couple of foreign language students for a couple of weeks - hosting with my local language school.

Not sure how it will go yet but the house will definitely be louder!

Not the darling children as mine are only 16,12 and 7 but I feel like this waving the hubby off on a Monday for a few weeks at a time.

im excited and nervous to wave the children off but not sure if the DS16 will need to go to uni.

Same! I miss mine too. The house feels full when they are here and it is so lovely hanging out with them, I

I think it's better when they are gone, in those last few days, so it's over and you can just get on with your life again! I always have a tear or two, a boring day, get a takeaway and go out with a friend and we moan together about it.

This was me last year when dd was on her year abroad. Leaving her to the airport each time was horrible. She loved it but we missed her so much. She’s always chatting and the house felt so quiet.
Ds will prob be gone next year and that will be just as bad. He’s the “huggy” one and gives the best back rubs (all those hours in the gym!).
Good practice for when they leave home!

DS, now 4th year, went back on Monday. First few days are always really hard, he had been home 5 weeks. I'm staring at the reality of him leaving hone for good thus summer as he's got a job offer post graduation (sob). He's terribly excited though and it's wonderful to see.

coming at this from another pov, my mum couldn’t wait to see the back of me (narc and other issues.) it’s so lovely that you have such great relationships with your teens

My boys are still very young and life with two kids can be tough. Reading all these comments about your uni aged kids has made me remember to soak it all up and to not wish time away. I hope you are all kind to yourselves and get through a miserable January! How lovely that you have such a lovely relationship with your grown up kids, I hope I will be that lucky too in the future!

DS2 went back to York this week, first year. DS1 will be back at Nottingham next week, third year.
Our fridge will remain full, our laundry basket empty, but I miss having them around. It's a strange time in our lives. Sort of a transition period.

Yes, mine went back today and I am missing him, we are very close. However he's coming back in a couple of weeks for a friend's party and we still have DD at home.

Put mine on the train back to uni up north last week. Was slightly worse as husband left us over Christmas so in the space of 3 weeks our house went from 4, to 3, to just me and the youngest teen. Very quiet but hey a big bed all to myself, food that lasts more than a day and a laundry basket that is cleared in 2 washes so life’s not bad!

Do you ever go and visit them? I love my weekends away visiting mine! Do some shopping, sightseeing then meet up with them for a bit. Usually go out for dinner and they then head back to spend the rest of the night with their friends! Keeps me sane. I always make sure I have a visit booked which gives me something to look forward to 😃

Mine is 450 miles away so not that doable, sadly.

DD returned yesterday after six weeks at home. I am happy she is happy at home but also delighted she is happy at Uni. It is what we’ve worked towards, for her to be her own person. She still likes to call me regularly and I go to visit her.

I still work full time, do a bit more volunteering, get out the sewing machine a bit more, meet up with friends in a similar situation. Wallowing would imply I had failed, instead I raise a glass to the amazing independent young woman I’ve raised and take comfort in that.

DH was the SAHD who did the cooking and cleaning, he misses her more than he would like to admit but DD is good at asking for her favourite dishes for heating up at Uni and he makes an emergency drop of nutritious meals once in a while and knows he isn’t 100% redundant quite yet.

DD1 moves out Saturday 😭 thankfully she picked a school 4 hours away so not that bad to drive. We are staying for a few days to make sure she’s settled. She always keeps DD2 balanced so I know it’ll be rough around here as they are very close.

@paddyclampofthethirdkind , yes I'm very lucky that ds is only 60 miles away so I go up for lunch, a walk and its not a big deal. Keeps the close connection but doesn't impinge on his life too much.

I don’t have an answer for you as mine are still 5 and 7. But well done on raising what sound to be great kids. Maybe that will help ease then pain of them leaving a little.