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OaktownTraveler May 4th, 2004 09:43 AM

Amelia and others.....

DRUMROLL!

It's BOSTON!

But, he is thinking of taking a semester off to spend time with his paternal grandparents who are taking their "snazzy" (I like it) brand new RV on the road for 6 months...

We have a family "conference call" next week.

My parents are L-I-V-I-D...

Oaktown Mom

weski May 4th, 2004 10:32 AM

Congratulations! Love this post! Enjoy the relief! As a Fodor's thought, if a long RV trip is in the future, consider his taking a "gap year" like the Brits, to travel and do good works and THEN go to school the following Sept. I would recommend starting with other freshmen for all the early "bonding" that goes on, rather than coming in January. Just another thought to become compulsive over...we are reveling in our new empty nest this year...but keep posted via IM, email and websites.

gail May 4th, 2004 12:20 PM

College is way too expensive to spend the money unless a kid is ready and willing to go - although my kid is going from HS to college, both have been told if they want to take some time off between, as long as they have a plan, that is fine. (A plan means they can not spend one year sitting around my house in their underwear, sleeping until noon and playing video games until dawn)

Anonymous May 4th, 2004 01:44 PM

Oaktown, I have to agree with Weski -- a fulll gap year would probably work better than trying to jump into Freshman year midstream. The kid's college would probably agree, and might even have ideas about gap year -- it's a growing industry as you might expect. So, now please tell us -- WHICH school in Boston?

ellen_griswold May 4th, 2004 02:00 PM

Loved this thread and can relate to soo much of it! The word 'bittersweet' comes to mind...

Our son got his first choice, close to a full ride for academics and sports, and loves his new life! We are thrilled for him but miss him everyday....

Oaktown, congrats to your son! Just a thought... i'd advise him to attend college AT LEAST a semester before going away. Lifelong friendships are formed at the beginning of the year when everyone is in the same boat. Coming in mid-year as a new student or transfer student can make if very difficult, as everyone already has their friends, or their core group. Of course there are exceptions, but we've seen this happen to friends' kids who have it all going on but just missed the initial action.




OaktownTraveler May 5th, 2004 09:24 AM

Many thanks to all of you!

WHEW...my child can sure make life interesting.

Thanks to all of you I now have some "talking points" for our family conference call.

My hubby says he will hire someone to take me, my keyboard, computer and monitor if I give out the exact name of our sons college( My every post is accessed by typing my moniker into Google...more on the down side of this for our family later...a small nightmare.)

I will figure out a discrete way when we begin to prepare our travel plans for Freshman Parent Weekend which I am not sure WHEN I will be attending...

My parents have proposed a new car(!) to "level" the fast brewing grandparent
battle...Son can not take ANY vehicle to college the first year anyway.

Funny...my dad would LOVE to join the paternals for the 6 month journey...mom has choice words for "homes on wheels" and she is getting more cretive by the hour...giggle.

Well, off to the Senior Ball Committee Meeting...sniff, my days are so numbered...

Oaktown Mom

Anonymous May 5th, 2004 09:36 AM

OakTown, I apologize in advance if these questions are too personal, just ignore them, BUT: Why are you husband and son so secretive and why are the grandparents so competitive? I wouldn't be able to stay sane in a family like that.

OaktownTraveler May 5th, 2004 09:52 AM

Anoym.:

No worries. As I wrote, in part, my posts have been accessed by "some".
The "information" somehow winds up "floating" around at my hubbys work site(!).

He is responsible for lots of people so that his private life becomes public is certainly the issue.

People at the workplace have the right to GOOGLE so? This "reporting" of what the bosses wife says on the internet started just this year. That aside my hubby is a very quiet, reserved and private person...opposites attract!

I really have to respect his totally reasonable request as my and his travel, life etc. is his personal business.
His response to our sons college progress is "I am not sure." He is just like that.

On the Grandparents...They are just having their fun. It does not bother me or my hubby... They all cruise together and love one another like crazy!
Get the four of them across the table from any other grandparents and really watch for sparks.

They are proud...very, of their grandson and on one side he is the ONLY grandchild and for the other side he is the OLDEST granchild..."poor" him...

They have been doing this kind of stuff since before he came into the world...I stay out of their way! SMILE

No worries,
Oaktown Mom

Anonymous May 5th, 2004 10:02 AM

Thanks for your understanding reply. If my ID was figured out by someone who I wanted privacy from, I'd just start a new one! (You could always choose an un-searchable handle like mine!) I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't want their co-workers to know where their kid went to college.


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