Parenting Journals

by Ellen Gibran-Hesse

Recently I was having dinner with several girl friends. After the frantic winter holidays, it was nice to just relax. Mary (not her real name) shared some family news that was a bit astounding for a private person like Mary. Her youngest son, Ben (not his real name) had completed his first semester in community college and wasn’t going back. Three years ago, this would have elicited an emotional breakdown for Mary.

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by Ellen Gibran-Hesse

I am an attorney and life coach who helps parents with young adults still living at home as well helping young adults achieve independence.  With two sons in college, I remember quite well the frantic last years in high school. All the tests to be taken such as the ACT, SAT, the subject matter cousin tests to those two, and the AP placement tests caused abundant stress. Of course, there were trips to colleges and universities both in state and out. Finally all the applications due right around Thanksgiving of senior year had to be sent out and test reports coordinated. Mentally fried to a crisp, we parents still endured “senioritis” and a downswing in our senior’s motivation while we planned graduation parties and events.

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