When Your Children Leave Home
By Nikki Willhite
www.allthingsfrugal.com
When you child is older, obviously there will come a time when
they will be away from home for extended periods of time. Some parents welcome
this, while others have a hard time dealing with their absence.
Whatever the case may be, don’t forget about them because they
are not living in your home. I went away to college for 4 years. I had many
roommates. I had roommates with parents who regularly called them, and sent them
presents, and other roommates who never even received letters from their
parents.
The girls who were "forgotten" didn’t realize that their parents
were a bit "cold" until they saw how other parents acted. It was very sad.
Don’t expect your children to call you. They don’t have the
money. Do not react. ALWAYS ACT! This is one of the biggest lessons to learn in
life, I think, to make you a better person. No matter what the situation (not
just with kids) always ACT and not react. Do not let anyone else dictate your
actions.
Back on point- call you kids, even if it’s hard to reach them.
Send them letters, and occasionally presents. Cookies are great. One other thing
you can do is to wrap your presents in your local paper. They might enjoy
reading news from your home town.
The adolescent years are when children make some of the most
important decisions that affect their lives. Do not be fooled by their
appearance, which seems very adult like. They are still your children. Keep your
affection and interest in their lives apparent to them. They may need to turn to
you for some of the most important counsel you will ever give them.