Yesterday I checked another big life event off the list. Something that you hear about other people doing but don’t really think about doing yourself until you are in the middle of it. Botox? Colonoscopy? No, I crossed off all the items on my daughter's college shopping list. You know, the anticipated trip to Bed Bath & Beyond and Target to get all the cute dorm room things that will never actually fit in her new room and/or things that will never be seen under all the piles ... View the Post
About Michelle Newman
My Youngest is Leaving Home and My Dreams Are Telling Me To Let Go
One of the many recurring dreams I have is one where I’m in a runaway car barreling down a twisty mountain road, my speed gaining with each turn, and I can’t get the brakes to work. I step on the pedal with such force that it pushes me up off the driver’s seat so my leg is fully extended, rigid with tension. But no matter how hard I push, the car flies down the mountain, swiping the edges of the drop offs with each terrifying curve. More than once I’ve woken up to find my right foot pressed ... View the Post
Dear Parent Sending Your Firstborn Off To College
Dear Parent Sending Your Firstborn Off To College, I recognize you. I see you lying awake long after everyone else in your house is asleep because that’s when the panic grips you the tightest. I hear the speeches you give yourself that contain phrases like, “it seems like just yesterday,” “how is this possible?” and “nope, never gonna happen.” When Your Firstborn Goes to College I see the secret calendar you are keeping that has all the possible dates throughout the year penciled ... View the Post
Six Alternatives to the Over-the-Top Expensive Graduation Party
If you aren't up for an outrageous graduation party, we have some low key alternatives. (Arina P Habich/Shutterstock) I’m trying to remember how we marked the occasion of my high school graduation, and I can’t. Maybe it’s because there wasn’t a big, overblown celebration, but more realistically it’s because it was over 30 years ago. Either way, I’m drawing a blank. One thing I do know for sure is that it wasn’t until I moved to the Midwest in the mid-90s that I even became aware of The ... View the Post
Twelve Things NOT To Do When Your Teen Gets Accepted To College
My daughter is officially going to college. I’ll be honest, I don’t think there are seven words that I’ve ever had such a difficult time wrapping my head around. Obviously, I’m elated, proud, and excited, but I also feel like the wind has been knocked out of me and a little bit like I may or may not have eaten bad sushi. Add “younger” to the syntax and you may want to take a few steps back. To have college acceptances midway through senior year—even if they’re not places where she’ll ... View the Post
Remember When You Had Your Whole Life Ahead of You?
“Remember when you had your whole life ahead of you?” My friend asked me this a few months ago after hearing about my 23-year-old daughter’s Disney Internship at Epcot where she’ll be working with the marine mammals; a job that combines her two favorite things in the world and is a dream come true for her… and for her 10-year-old self. “No, not really,” I replied, trying to think back to a time when I had dreams that didn’t consist of a clean house, a night with actual sleep, and energy. I ... View the Post