tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post6927735642197225221..comments2023-09-11T11:27:08.538-04:00Comments on Worth Mentioning: Conversations with your college freshmen that matter before they leave, and long after they've gone.Susan Bonifanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889354888091500881noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-59644627761467898392015-04-23T12:01:51.355-04:002015-04-23T12:01:51.355-04:00Hi Susan - you wonderful mom you. I have four kids...Hi Susan - you wonderful mom you. I have four kids too. Beer pong, hey? I remember being asked if I'd like to go sit on the roof of the house my son lived in with four other college students because 'that's what they did' in the evening - in a dilapidated house in a very nice neighbourhood where NO one else set on their roofs. But I'll always remember sitting with those boys as the sun set, seeing the city view that the neighbours most certainly missed, and listening to the guys easy dialogue. (I blog at www.textmelovemom.com) and belong to The Women of Midlife - don't know why my name isn't showing up but excited to follow your blog.)<br /><br />April 23, 2015 at 11:58 AMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-63217045175502678002015-04-11T23:21:36.339-04:002015-04-11T23:21:36.339-04:00Hi Susan
I have four kids. My oldest is the &quo...Hi Susan<br /><br />I have four kids. My oldest is the "brain", very smart, everyone in my family just knew he would be successful, etc. He told me in his senior year of HS that he didn't want to sit behind a desk, at a job or at college. Maybe in the future, but not now. He joined the Navy as an electrician. He LOVES it, and is thinking about making it a career. He says maybe he will do college on the GI bill some day, but now he's happy DOING THINGS, being outside and getting his hands dirty. And because he's happy, I'm happy. There's nothing worse than having a job you hate. And my son loves his job.<br /><br />My other kids are still in high school, so their times are coming. But what I've learned from #1 is so long as they're happy, I've done my job.<br /><br />Your have great insight, and your kids sound wonderful. The advice you wrote that I like best, is to accept invitations to visit their world. My son's Navy buddies ALWAYS treat me like a lady, call me ma'am. It's a nice change =)<br /><br />Dena Pawlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-21215605337623857552015-04-09T21:09:12.559-04:002015-04-09T21:09:12.559-04:00Hi Tara. Thank you for commenting. If your experie...Hi Tara. Thank you for commenting. If your experience is like mine has been, you'll worry about your mistakes until your kids mock you for them and then you'll know: you didn't screw up that badly. Susan Bonifanthttp://www.atticview.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-78449034639629803872015-04-09T21:06:35.333-04:002015-04-09T21:06:35.333-04:00Hi Rena, and thank you for visiting. I am the firs...Hi Rena, and thank you for visiting. I am the first one to admit I could have been more "listening" than "talking" at the beginning, but as I've told my kids, we're no better at all this letting go than they are at being free. We all come back around though, I think. Susan Bonifanthttp://www.atticview.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-30035811466912006812015-04-09T18:03:17.034-04:002015-04-09T18:03:17.034-04:00Oh my, such thoughtful sentiments. I hope I can be...Oh my, such thoughtful sentiments. I hope I can be as clear-headed and thoughtful when my turn comes in just a few short years. Thank you for sharing.Tara Schatzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12590069804355613770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-23646952127801055422015-04-09T17:56:27.297-04:002015-04-09T17:56:27.297-04:00Susan this is so well thought out and excellent ad...Susan this is so well thought out and excellent advice but after 4 kids I guess that's why you are the expert! If parents would listen to this advice so many heartaches could be avoided...on both sides of the conversation!Renahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12296781992150172086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-39780024950366384272015-04-09T09:00:40.352-04:002015-04-09T09:00:40.352-04:00Cathy, thank you so much for the lovely words and ...Cathy, thank you so much for the lovely words and thoughts about these wonderful times. I am not kidding when I say my children taught me most of what I know about parenting. Susan Bonifanthttp://www.atticview.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209129785647063879.post-79688684929508538752015-04-09T08:48:50.174-04:002015-04-09T08:48:50.174-04:00I love this, Susan. Our children are a reflection ...I love this, Susan. Our children are a reflection of not only us and the people they surround themselves with but of themselves. We give them what they need (hopefully!) and then set them out into the world. The beer pong? I remembered you writing about that and I thought how marvelous that you were invited to the party! Yes, we had to take every opportunity to carefully talk to them about the important things. The rest is really up to them. Ah, being a parent never stops. (My 84 y/o mother is still telling me that!) Well done, Susan, on all counts.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530651626467011526noreply@blogger.com