College move-in blues

It’s almost September. A few weeks ago, my Facebook feed was filled with everyone’s fabulous summer vacation pics, but for the past few weeks, I have been mostly seeing hugs…and some tears. Summer is ending, the college kids are leaving the nest again, and some of the 2022 grads are moving out permanently.

I am helping my own daughter move to Orlando on Saturday. She will be working at Walt Disney World this semester as part of the Disney College Program. She has wanted to work for Disney for as long as she can remember, but even she is feeling a little blue right now.

It’s not just a tough time for the parents – it’s tough for many of the “kid-dults” too. Their parents have helped them through almost every crisis and have been part of almost every happy childhood memory.

Successful business owners with solid systems and strong franchisor support will tell you that one of the big “perks” is being able to make your own schedule. Self-employment has allowed me to drive (or fly) my daughter wherever she needed to go, be her “roommate” while she attended summer programs in NYC and Philadelphia, and take her on vacations for 3-5 weeks every year. Now that she is out of the house, my husband and I have more time to travel, but we are all sad that she will not be part of many of our future memories.

In the immortal words of Billy Joel, “This is the time to remember / 'Cause it will not last forever / These are the days to hold on to / 'Cause we won't although we'll want to.”

To making great memories –?

Heather