My oldest turned 17 this week, and suddenly I'm panicking

[Jodi-FL]

that I haven't prepared her enough. There are still so many books to read, so many experiences to cover together, so many things to do, so many.....

I've always tried to teach myself out of a job in raising my kids. DH and I look forward to an empty nest, and yet, when I tucked her in last night (couldn't help myself) I just felt so sad that there's not much time left.

have you heard Steven Curtis Chapman's new song "Cinderella?" oh my.

she is responsible, the oldest of 7, and can run the house almost as well as I can. She has a good job, many friends, an exciting social life, does well in school (though still not real motivated in math) and knows what she wants to do with her future. so why am I so....... anxious? waxing poetic? melancholy?

[Karen in CO]

My oldest just turned 18 this week. It was his last birthday at home.

We didn't do enough grammar or math. I really should have read more books out loud to him. We never got around to... I'm just not ready for him to be grown up. Eighteen years isn't as long as I once thought it would be.

Homeschooling through highschool has given us so many more opportunities to get to know each other and for me to talk to him and really see him grow. We are much closer than we would be otherwise, probably.

Melancholy. I've been that way all week.

[Sandy in Indy]

[QUOTE=Karen in CO;74945]Eighteen years isn't as long as I once thought it would be.

Homeschooling through highschool has given us so many more opportunities to get to know each other and for me to talk to him and really see him grow. We are much closer than we would be otherwise, probably.

QUOTE]

My oldest is going to be senior in COLLEGE next year. How that happened I'm not really sure. Seems like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital!

But like the above, homeschooling truly enriched our lives and our relationship. It would be so much more difficult without that.

[Kelli in TN]

Oh, I know what you mean.

I call mine my personal asst.

Do I have to let her graduate? Do I have to let her grow up? Do I have to let her go out and get her own life? Can't I just keep her here with me for the rest of my life?