The first time they drive away is scary as shit, the second time isn’t so great either but I’ve been through this 3 times, my biggest thing with my kids is we are going to talk and they are going to call me and keep in touch if anything goes wrong.

Meanwhile it is still so stressful … my youngest has been driving for 10 months and it still stresses me out though it is getting a little bit better.

Hang in there Dan.

I’m not even talking about being scared for their safety. I’m more talking about the end of their reliance on me and their impending flying of the coop. It struck me all at once watching him drive away from me.

That’s how I read it. You don’t often hear about the empty nest feelings of guys, but certainly it happens.

Of course, I will also be one of those parents who stays up worrying until my kid gets home safely.

The end of total reliance morphs into a support and guidance model that is nothing to sneeze at.

End of reliance on you ?? Don’t worry that never happens. I’ve got kids ranging from age 17 to 24 … we are all still constantly together and between my wife and I we hear about every problem they have and we always hear about how their day went. We still have dinner together as a family every night during the week.

Sometimes I tell my wife, these kids are never moving out, I think I figured out the solution, my wife and I get another home and leave them in our house in NY but the prices in Florida are still ridiculous :lol:

Well, that's not going to happen when they leave for college :dunno:

And I certainly would not hope that they move back in after college

Lol that is too funny :lol::lol:of course they are moving back in.

But don’t worry spending your money on college is just another step, you still have weddings and down payment on houses to pay for … it never ends :)

Alan, let me just say that your experiences and expectations as a parent are vastly different than mine.