So it was difficult when my son moved into his college dorm a few years ago to not bombard him with all sorts of texts.
Texts like:
How were your classes?
Did you talk to a lot of people?
What did you eat today?
I had to remind myself to back off a bit. I had to wait until he came to me. And he did. Eventually. His form of communication is to text me pictures of what he's eating. Sometimes he'll tell me about a class. But it's mostly the food thing.
Here was the brunch he ate the other day:
My daughter recently moved to her dorm. It's her first year, and again, I wanted to send her all sorts of texts.
How are you?
Do you still like your roommate?
Did you put all your clothes away?
What's your favorite class?
Who is your favorite professor so far?
Seriously, all these questions remind me of Buddy the Elf from the movie Elf. If you've never seen it, he basically asks questions one after the other. It can get irritating.
This is who I feel like when I'm asking questions. Or who I am trying NOT to sound like. So I limit my questions to 2 per day. Sometimes 3 if it's pressing. (Did you get your meal plan to work at Chick-fil-A?)
Luckily my daughter texts me more often than my son. She let me know that her history professor is cool because he listens to Queen and she thinks her math professor might be German. Yes, her dorm room is nearly organized.
And I did get a first day of college pic without asking!
I will always want to know more than my kids let on. But I have learned to relax a bit and wait until they come to me. I will never know everything. I will never know as much as I did when they lived here.
But I'll know enough.
(I hope.)
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I tend to forget to text my son. So I have my husband do the texting.
ReplyDeleteI try not to overdo the questions with my 14 year old. He doesn’t like to talk much unfortunately. It annoys me when I ask him something and he totally ignores me.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh...totally relate to the urge to over-text! Love the Buddy the Elf comparison.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a relatable and heartwarming post for any parent navigating the college years! It's so true that the key to staying connected is learning to listen and give them space, even if it means getting more food pictures than detailed updates.
ReplyDeleteThis is so relatable! Letting go while still wanting to be involved is such a tricky balance. I love the “two-text rule,” it’s a sweet way to stay connected without overwhelming them.
ReplyDeleteYou're funny, with the texting with Buddy! I never thought of that. I tend to bombard my kids with questions -- and I usually only get a couple answers, not to all of the questions!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome and I cannot believe they are both away in college! Time flies and goes by way too fast!
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ReplyDeleteEvery parent knows the art of not being so heavy handed they turn a young person off. Texting makes it so easy to cross that boundary.
ReplyDeleteLOL, the Buddy the Elf comparison made me laugh! As parents, we want to know EVERYTHING, especially when our kids leave home. I love that you’re learning to give them space while still staying connected. And getting that first day of college picture without even asking was definitely a win!
ReplyDeleteIt’s sweet that your daughter shares little updates on her own, and I think learning to give kids space while staying connected is such an important part of watching them grow up!
ReplyDeleteI relate to this so much. I know I'll definitely have to stop myself from Buddy The Elf texting. I also know my daughter will text me FAR more than my son. LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm of an older generation, and I don't really text much. I almost certainly don't start the text conversation. But when I do text, I want it to be good info.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Your post made me chuckle because I can remember when my kids went off to college and how I worried about them. We spoke by phone and I visited often. Those were interesting years which went by so fast!
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