Empty nest - it's starting.....

[amigababy]

DD is 16, she's lovely, and she's quite independent and has been going into town a lot in the last 2 years - no problems. She's finished GCSE's now, so to pass the time she's been helping out at the primary school where I work - this week, instead of coming home she arranged to go into town, meet friends, and then go on to Brownies, where she helps, so I came home on my own after work. And that's when it hit me....this is where it starts, I felt so alone
Then yesterday - dropped off at prom, with her friends. She was so excited she raced into the hotel, forgot to say bye or give me a kiss. Felt it again.....
These feelings are all new - does it keep on like this? Does it get better/worse? What's it like when they go off to uni?
I'm usually pretty calm about stuff but this is getting to me already.

My dd is the same age and yes, it is crucifying. I love her dearly and we are very close but I want her to go back to being a baby so I can do it all again.

I have no advice, don't do what I did and start crying like I did last week (about something else really) and then when she started cuddling me bawl 'you're all grown up and I wish you were a baby again'

It's hard.

GetOrf, that's how I feel (at least some of the time) now - DD is not yet 13!

DD had her award evening at school last week.

I spent the whole of it fighting back tears. I went on my own and was sat there amongst a sea of empty chairs like a leper when other kids had their whole families (it seemed) there. She won a really nice prize for her charity work and the head said lovely things. It was the last time she wore her uniform, and it was the last time I shall go to school as a parent.

When we left she kept hissing 'don't cry, don't cry'. I welled up when the head said goodbye to me and dd. I am a complete wet blanket at the moment.

Oh god it is all me me me.

She has her prom tomorrow (with her arm in a plaster cast!) and I am going with another mother to the hotel where the prom is being held to see all the kids going in. More floods I expect.

I have one DS at University and the other will go next year. It's sad to see them go but they still need you.

I think I have communicated much more with DS1 since he went away than I did during the rest of his teens.

she's away 2 out of the next 3 weeks (various holidays with friends etc) - starting to wonder what this will be like.
Oh, one of her friends spotted my helplessness at the prom drop off so she gave me a surrogate hug instead sniff

I think the anticipation can be worse than the reality of them leaving home. I have DD1 and DD2 home from university at the moment and they are driving me slightly crazy to say the least! DS was looking forward to having his sisters home but he has a face now. Its good fun seeing them grow up and be more independent it means you've done your job properly.