End of summer and the kids, family members you may be getting packed up, off to college, university makes for a mixed emotion of glad and sad.
When you enjoy your kids being home from college, university for the summer, it is always hard to shift gears and get them back in the higher education saddle.
To ride off in to the sunset once again as you help them get stocked up with what they need for another couple semesters.
Today heading down to Portland Maine to get youngest of four kids, Elliot on a silver bird to head back to Colorado Springs CO for year three of college.
The day will involve hitting a few outlets for some new duds, and making sure he gets on his flight tonight heading west.
Elliot has been home this summer with oldest brother Alex who graduated from college at GW in Washington DC this year.
Alex is heading out to Colorado too in November and has a job at A Basin Ski Resort for the winter.
So can enjoy not having a totally empty family nest for a few more months with one of the chickens still in the nest.
The two Maine boys two years apart in age will be pretty close, nearby each other in Colorado and be able to link up to swish swish, downhill ski this winter.
Your family is everything and I think you worry less about them when you know they are in the dooryard and 
only venturing out on the local level. But on the open road, out of state, the prayers of safety get a little more frequent, with more emphasis and purpose. But as they say, you can not see the world from your kitchen window and you have to let them grow, go.
As a parent you prepare the kids you are blessed with, lucky to have for the real world.
Lessons learned along the way and talked about to serve them well in the years to come.
And to pass on to their kids and on and on. Long after you and I leave this earth.
Being a parent is the most awesome, joyful and difficult job at the same time. You don't want to screw it up.
You need to make sure they are equipped like you were taught with what they need to stand on their feet, to enjoy life to the fullest and be responsible, independent and happy, joyful, content.
Do you have a son or daughter heading off to school out of state, far away this week as college, universities gear up for another year of academics?
It's bitter sweet and everything happening right on schedule with casual speed. I find the easiest way to get the transition done is plan for the next time together. Whether a ski trip over the holidays or next summer 
when they have the break from college and we can resume the tail end of being at home.
Before they venture out to their own place, setting up shop in their own home wherever life leads them on the adventure they embark on.
Enjoying your kids, being grateful you have the job of Dad, or Mom or as a grandparent, aunt or uncle, teacher is a two way street of learning too.
You think you are leading the class on how the world runs, what being a responsible contributing member of society, your community and family is all about.
But the kids, who don't stay little are part of the education too.
I have learned as much as I have taught being a full time single parent.
I enjoy the job, the magic and energy of youth. Who's packing up and on the road with their college, university age kids this week? You may notice the family cats, dogs also sense the empty house when the son or daughter are away from home. All part of the process of letting go, and pushing the kids from the safety of the family nest for their own good.
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