Quest-less Day of Parenting

Today was the teenager's orientation at the University. There are parent activities (there is actually an entire parent orientation, but being an atypical parent and a recent - as in, less than 10 year - alumnus, husband and I did not sign up) with your kid, and although the teenager said he could do the whole thing on his own we were skeptical. I got today, husband has tomorrow.

Teenager is so different from me. At orientation, think Melissa Joan Hart in Can't Hardly Wait - you know, running around trying to get everyone to sign her yearbook? Yeah, I was meeting people left and right, being outgoing to a fault and obtaining addresses to begin our life long friendships. (Ask SuperSaver: our first meeting, she gave me the dirtiest look and asked, "WHAT is this?" To which I meekly replied, "Um, you can put your address down if you want to keep in touch..." I still tease her about her, er, less than warm impression!!)

Contrast that to calm, quiet teenager. He leads us to table on the far side of the room. His longest conversation was with the ROTC guy (and the ROTC guy initiated it). As I left him at the end of the welcome session, I was worried. I envisioned him sad and lonely...

I still remember the first time he left for a sports camp. I thought nothing of it, because I loved camp! But the night he called, banged up and sore and not having a very good time, I cried on the other end. I just wanted to bring him home!

But when I returned at the end of the day, it was apparent he was going to be just fine. He barely acknowledged me, instead trying to keep tabs on his two new table-mates because they were on their way to dinner. While of course I was overjoyed that he wasn't going to be sad sand lonely, I admit - my drive home was definitely a little sad and lonely.