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This past August I experienced the anxiety, sadness and the joy of seeing our first child leave home for college. All summer I had been savoring my precious time with her and I kept thinking, "This is not going to be so bad; after all she’s only going to be fifty minutes away." I thought, "I should be able to handle this, after all I am a professional counselor." I figured that all of the coping skills I’d learned, and often taught others, would surely be enough to get me through the adjustment. However, when our daughter, Mary, left home and I walked into her bedroom where everything was neatly in its place (it was never neat when she was home), her leaving became real and I cried…for days! A few of the things I discovered in those first days and weeks were that I did need to use all of those good coping strategies I’d so often used before, but I also discovered that I wanted to talk to other parents who had been through the same thing. I wanted to know how they coped with the situation. As a result, I thought it might be helpful for our Averett parents to have an opportunity to speak with other parents about their reactions and how they coped with a son or daughter leaving home, especially for the first time. If you are one of the parents who had little difficulty with the transition, I applaud you and I welcome your input as well. Which ever situation you have been in, I hope you will consider joining the parent reception and discussion during orientation. If you are an Averett parent who has "weathered this storm," please consider participating on a parent panel for the purpose of helping other parents meet this challenge with ease, and perhaps a few less tears. Please call me at 434-791-5624 if you are interested in joining the panel or if you have questions about the upcoming parent orientation session. Joan Kahwajy-Anderson
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