Recently, I attended Mom’s Weekend hosted by my son’s fraternity. In case you aren’t familiar with the concept, Mom’s Weekend is when a bunch of boys, ages 18-22, plan(ish) and organize (sort of) a weekend of mother/son events that include eating, drinking, socializing, and (conveniently) even shopping for frat apparel.
Some thoughts I had during Mom’s Weekend with my boy
1. I am definitely NOT in college anymore
While Mom’s weekend is supposed to be all about the moms, keep in mind that it is planned by college boys–as such, it includes activities typically enjoyed by fraternity guys. Friday night kicked off with dinner at a pizza place. Okay, so far so good.
But when the meal ended sometime around 10:00 (my usual bedtime) the night was not over. It was apparently time to hit the bars. Did I mention it was already 10:00??? P.M.??? I’m sure there was a time in my life when starting my night at 10:00 was fun, and I’m proud to say that, for my son, I managed to rally–but more than a week later, I’m still recovering.
2. I can’t believe I’m not in college anymore
It is said that most of us see ourselves as at least 10 years younger than we actually are. Still, it has been a while since I felt like a 19-year-old co-ed. But my son attends the same university I did. Kids still hang out in some of the same restaurants and bars that we did 30 years ago, and getting to my son’s fraternity house (where I was once a “little sister”) means driving past my old sorority. In some ways, the whole weekend felt like stepping back in time.
3. Just go with the flow. Just go with the flow.
Ultimately it was a fun and full weekend. That said, many of the “plans” we had were made on the fly. I went into the weekend planning on dinner Saturday night and brunch Sunday. But in typical college kid fashion, there were a lot of last-minute additions to the schedule–all of them totally worth it! And even though I’m far from a college kid myself, I did get back into go-with-the-flow mode pretty easily.
4. Hang in there, Middle School Moms
When I say it was Mom’s Weekend, I mean it was all moms all weekend. From dinner Friday night until brunch Sunday morning, my son was entirely devoted to hanging out with me. I know it’s hard for the mother of a surly 14-year-old to imagine there will ever come a time when her son will be willing and eager to spend three days straight just doing fun stuff together, but it really does happen. And it’s awesome!
5. This is a dream come true
Dinner! A night on the town! Late-night snacks and long conversations! Shopping! A baseball game! Another dinner! More late-night chit-chat! Brunch! I am still elated (and tired) from all that time with my college boy. It was truly a gift and so much fun!
6. Being the generation of over-the-top parenting has finally paid off
I admit that there were several times over the years when I thought that all the expectations and activities involved in parenting Gen Z were a bit much. After all, as a Gen Xer, I did not have themed or destination birthday parties.
No one kept a scrapbook of my achievements. And my parents did not have a giant Fat Head of me to wave around at ballgames. Then, it hit me! We didn’t have Mom’s Weekend when I was in college because our moms didn’t expect it. But we are the same moms who bought Annie’s Mac and Cheese and organic apples and who drove our 8-year-olds halfway across the country to play baseball.
Of course we expect Mom’s Weekend! We deserve Mom’s Weekend!
7. Wow! Look at the Girl Moms
Okay, Boy Mom’s Weekend was great, but if I’m being honest, I couldn’t help being a tiny bit envious of the girl moms. They did all the cool stuff we did–but with a theme.! But I guess getting the boys to dress up in coordinating ’80s outfits would have been too much to ask.
8. You’re never too old to make new mom friends
I am fortunate. I am still good friends with the women I met when my son was in junior high. Still, it was really fun getting to know the moms of some of his new friends–many of whom I will keep in touch with and who I will look forward to seeing at Mom’s Weekend next year.
9. There really is something about boys and their mamas
Without exception, every mother/son duo I met seemed genuinely happy to be together. The boys were proud of their mothers and eager to introduce them to their friends. And the moms were absolutely delighted to be with their boys and get a glimpse into their world.
As a mom to both sons and daughters, I know that moms and their girls share a special bond too. There’s a closeness and a connection between mothers and daughters that is unique. But there’s no question that there is something special about boys and their mamas also.
It has been over a week since Mom’s Weekend, and I am still thinking about what a fun and special time it was. I can’t wait until next year–but next time I will know to rest up in advance.
More Great Reading:
Parents Weekend: 19 Do’s and Don’ts of Visiting a Kid in College
