It’s Thanksgiving and if you have a kid in college he or she may be home for the holiday. There are many things to worry about when your kids come home from college for a holiday break – conflicting ideas of what being home means to each of you springs to mind – but in the spirit of the season, I’ve decided to focus on all the ways I’m grateful to have my son home for the weekend (and worry about the other stuff when he comes home for a much longer winter break in a few weeks).
Here is my top ten list of things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving break. What is on your list?
- Your college student probably didn’t bring all of their dirty laundry home for you to wash especially if they had to take a plane or a bus home.
- You get an extra driver for a couple of days, that is, if they aren’t out with friends, sleeping in, being cranky…
- Thanksgiving dinner means you will get at least one meal with them.
- Someone will appreciate your cooking.
- You have someone to help move the patio furniture. (A BIG thanks for this one).
- Instead of getting a quick debrief of their lives during a four minute Face Time call once a week, you get to hear more about their lives through the little snippets they share with you while they sit at the kitchen counter, sprawl on the couch or drive in the car when you take them shopping.
- You get to take a photo to put on the holiday card since you probably forgot to take one before he or she left for college and photos pulled from their Facebook or Instagram accounts or screen shots of ridiculous Snapchat selfies that their siblings saved don’t count.
- Your house is noisy again. It is quite peaceful with only one kid still at home, however, as much as I occasionally complained about the constant noise of both kids being together with all of their friends, I miss it and I’m grateful to hear it again.
- Their friends are back, too.
- You get your kids home under one roof for a little while, even if that little while is only from 2:00 am – 12:00 pm and they are sleeping the entire time.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
i suck as a parent 