High School Class of 2016/College Class 2020

[Aliceacc]

I'm so glad you're starting to feel a little better.

Why not text her and suggest a little ice cream therapy for her too? It works. I promise and will break the ice

 

[punkin]

So DD couldn't breathe in class today. she's had a nasty cold for over a month now. I forced her to go to the health center again (they've been poo pooing her) and they diagnisedva sinus infection and a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. I hope she can start getting better now.

 

[gemini2727]

So DD couldn't breathe in class today. she's had a nasty cold for over a month now. I forced her to go to the health center again (they've been poo pooing her) and they diagnisedva sinus infection and a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. I hope she can start getting better now.

Ugh, it's the worst when they are sick and away from home. I hope she is on the mend soon!

My daughter had her first illness, needing her inhaler, etc, and it just recently has gotten better. Of course, I forgot to pack her the good decongestant, but she managed without it.
It's good your daughter is going to the health center and advocating for herself, that's so important to learn to do.

 

[sk!mom]

sk!mom -- Could you give us some ideas for care packages? My DS is a very picky snacker, so I haven't been sending the ones offered through the university. I know he doesn't have a lot of storage space, so prefers consumables. I would love to hear what you have sent, you seem like a pro!

Maria

I'm sorry- I just saw this. I haven't been here in a while. I love to send care packages!

The pumpkin arrived and was a hit.

I mailed November's package today- a t-shirt from an event DH does this time of year. And she always wants a shirt. And then she had mentioned that she's been borrowing her roommates curling iron so I picked one up at Target and sent it.

Finals will be this semester's last package, I will mail a package with a couple of gift cards- Starbucks and chick fil a, a super plush bath towel, stress reducing bubble bath from Bath and Body Works last sale, and some small candles. My DD is a Junior and this is year two in an apartment so new towels or apartment things are a hit.

Shortly after this semester started, she came down with a cold. She'd mentioned when she was home over the summer that she would like a tea kettle. I'd found a beautiful one at Marshalls that I was saving for cold weather. Since she was sick, I took it to FedEx and shipped it along with a couple of packages of tea. She's in a large metro area so FedEx regular shipping is over night to her. She was so surprised to get that little bit of momma care the very next day.

Another package was a package of maroon- dress, shirt, face decals. This was sent the week before she was going to College Station to the Tennesse/ TAMU game to spend the weekend celebrating her boyfriend's 21st birthday.

Another favorite package I send each January is a box of sunshine. It seems like January is tough- cold, dreary, and not much going on after all the fun of the holidays. I just keep a box at Christmas and then gather up all things yellow and orange.

Last year- hair products in yellow containers, gum, yellow body wash, a yellow sports bra, and an orange Nike fleece. All bought on sale at the Christmas clearances. Then yellow and orange tissue paper.

I'm already collecting this year- so far I have a sweatshirt with shiny gold lettering, a reusable shopping bag from Marshalls that says, "You are my Sunshine," a container with a yellow lid that I'll fill with something yellow.

Another fun spring idea that I'll send just before Spring Break is flip flops. No box- just slap the label right on the flip flops and drop them in the mail. Inexpensive is good for this just in case they get beat up in the mail.

Freshman year- I mostly stuck with gift cards or consumables (food, make up, etc...) since dorm space was so limited. Her apartment is roomy so I can be more creative now.

I will say, she's the baby so we're empty nesters. If I had younger kids at home, I doubt I would send such careful themed packages. But I don't and I just pick stuff up when I see it.

Last month, she sent DH and I our first ever care package.

 

[gemini2727]

I'm sorry- I just saw this. I haven't been here in a while. I love to send care packages!

The pumpkin arrived and was a hit.

I mailed November's package today- a t-shirt from an event DH does this time of year. And she always wants a shirt. And then she had mentioned that she's been borrowing her roommates curling iron so I picked one up at Target and sent it.

Finals will be this semester's last package, I will mail a package with a couple of gift cards- Starbucks and chick fil a, a super plush bath towel, stress reducing bubble bath from Bath and Body Works last sale, and some small candles. My DD is a Junior and this is year two in an apartment so new towels or apartment things are a hit.

Shortly after this semester started, she came down with a cold. She'd mentioned when she was home over the summer that she would like a tea kettle. I'd found a beautiful one at Marshalls that I was saving for cold weather. Since she was sick, I took it to FedEx and shipped it along with a couple of packages of tea. She's in a large metro area so FedEx regular shipping is over night to her. She was so surprised to get that little bit of momma care the very next day.

Another package was a package of maroon- dress, shirt, face decals. This was sent the week before she was going to College Station to the Tennesse/ TAMU game to spend the weekend celebrating her boyfriend's 21st birthday.

Another favorite package I send each January is a box of sunshine. It seems like January is tough- cold, dreary, and not much going on after all the fun of the holidays. I just keep a box at Christmas and then gather up all things yellow and orange.

Last year- hair products in yellow containers, gum, yellow body wash, a yellow sports bra, and an orange Nike fleece. All bought on sale at the Christmas clearances. Then yellow and orange tissue paper.

I'm already collecting this year- so far I have a sweatshirt with shiny gold lettering, a reusable shopping bag from Marshalls that says, "You are my Sunshine," a container with a yellow lid that I'll fill with something yellow.

Another fun spring idea that I'll send just before Spring Break is flip flops. No box- just slap the label right on the flip flops and drop them in the mail. Inexpensive is good for this just in case they get beat up in the mail.

Freshman year- I mostly stuck with gift cards or consumables (food, make up, etc...) since dorm space was so limited. Her apartment is roomy so I can be more creative now.

I will say, she's the baby so we're empty nesters. If I had younger kids at home, I doubt I would send such careful themed packages. But I don't and I just pick stuff up when I see it.

Last month, she sent DH and I our first ever care package.

I actually asked the lady at our post office if I could mail the plastic pumpkin like you described...she laughed and said Yup, you can mail anything! She told me of coconuts arriving from Hawaii with the address written right on the front, and a toilet seat (new) sent just like it was as some kind of joke, haha.
I mailed a box for Halloween where I decorated the inside with halloween paper and plastic spiders glued on - I'm new at this so may steal some of your ideas for sure!
Love that she sent you a care pack - how sweet! You're teaching her well

 

[punkin]

I am not a good care package sender. I have Amazon Prime, and just order DD the stuff she needs. I just ordered her an alarm clock yesterday because I think using her phone as an alarm is interfering with her sleep. Her roommate has a car, so they have easy supermarket and drug store access and I would rather pay for a dinner out at a restaurant as a treat than postage. On the other hand, I am really looking forward to hearing all of your adorable ideas. I may need them next year when Niece goes to college. She seems to equate care packages with love, so I will have to learn.

 

[gemini2727]

Amazon Prime boxes are always welcome I'm sure!
I know I love when I get one, lol....Prime is such a great service

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I'm sorry- I just saw this. I haven't been here in a while. I love to send care packages!

The pumpkin arrived and was a hit.

I mailed November's package today- a t-shirt from an event DH does this time of year. And she always wants a shirt. And then she had mentioned that she's been borrowing her roommates curling iron so I picked one up at Target and sent it.

Finals will be this semester's last package, I will mail a package with a couple of gift cards- Starbucks and chick fil a, a super plush bath towel, stress reducing bubble bath from Bath and Body Works last sale, and some small candles. My DD is a Junior and this is year two in an apartment so new towels or apartment things are a hit.

Shortly after this semester started, she came down with a cold. She'd mentioned when she was home over the summer that she would like a tea kettle. I'd found a beautiful one at Marshalls that I was saving for cold weather. Since she was sick, I took it to FedEx and shipped it along with a couple of packages of tea. She's in a large metro area so FedEx regular shipping is over night to her. She was so surprised to get that little bit of momma care the very next day.

Another package was a package of maroon- dress, shirt, face decals. This was sent the week before she was going to College Station to the Tennesse/ TAMU game to spend the weekend celebrating her boyfriend's 21st birthday.

Another favorite package I send each January is a box of sunshine. It seems like January is tough- cold, dreary, and not much going on after all the fun of the holidays. I just keep a box at Christmas and then gather up all things yellow and orange.

Last year- hair products in yellow containers, gum, yellow body wash, a yellow sports bra, and an orange Nike fleece. All bought on sale at the Christmas clearances. Then yellow and orange tissue paper.

I'm already collecting this year- so far I have a sweatshirt with shiny gold lettering, a reusable shopping bag from Marshalls that says, "You are my Sunshine," a container with a yellow lid that I'll fill with something yellow.

Another fun spring idea that I'll send just before Spring Break is flip flops. No box- just slap the label right on the flip flops and drop them in the mail. Inexpensive is good for this just in case they get beat up in the mail.

Freshman year- I mostly stuck with gift cards or consumables (food, make up, etc...) since dorm space was so limited. Her apartment is roomy so I can be more creative now.

I will say, she's the baby so we're empty nesters. If I had younger kids at home, I doubt I would send such careful themed packages. But I don't and I just pick stuff up when I see it.

Last month, she sent DH and I our first ever care package.

Wow, these are amazing suggestions! I am definitely using the "box of sunshine" for January. My ds is a January baby, so I know he's going to be feeling it even more than usual. DH and I will be in WDW for marathon weekend in early January, that will be a great time to add a few yellow and orange things I come across -- and maybe some "minion" stuff from the Universal store at the airport!

Everyone please post all your ideas, I know that every kid is different and seeing something might spark the thought for just the right care package!

Maria

 

[Arkansan]

I have sent DD a couple of the Target Beauty Boxes. They are available (usually) on the first Monday of the month and range from $7-10, free delivery. They contain a combination of sample and full-sized products.

I have also sent several Priority Flat Rate boxes. Some of these have clothing and things she forgot and some have been treats. I also sent a package for Halloween. I'm getting ready to send a box that will have some snacks and some Hostess gifts for her to give for Thanksgiving. She needs to be back on campus on Saturday evening for a big choir rehearsal so will not be home for Thanksgiving. It it too short a break to fly home. We did buy her ticket for Christmas! She comes home on Dec. 19! First time home since early Sept!

She did drop a class (and will not be a music major as a result). Music Theory was not a good fit and, as a music major, she would have had to take 3 more semesters of theory! Spring Semester registration opened at 8:30 this morning. I know she had met with her advisor and her RA also offered to teach her the secrets of registration, so I'm hopeful she will get the classes she wants and needs.

She has a big paper due on Monday, so was stressing the other night. She had a lot of time yesterday to work on it, so I hope she made progress. It is a good sign that she was already working on it. In HS she would still have had "lots of time" so no need to start yet. She is a procrastinator, so working ahead is new--I like it!

I'm so sorry to hear about the DD that dropped out. I'm sure you are upset, but I hope that you are feeling better now. This isn't the end of the road even though it may feel that way. Hugs.

 

[ski_mom]

My oldest DD is a college sophomore, so I sent a few boxes last year. Not as many as I hoped to...I need to improve on that. I mostly sent homemade goodies and little seasonal items. I usually sent a hand towel for their bathroom to go with whatever holiday was coming up (both DDs live in suite style dorms).

Definitely my "best" box from last year was the box of sunshine similar to what sk!mom sent. It was so cute! This year I'm planning on doing a "birthday in a box" package for each girl. I saw the idea on pintrerest - you basically put in a candles, birthday napkins, cake mix, birthday mug (with directions for cake in a mug), icing, blowers, etc. It looked like a really cute idea. I was going to do it last year for DD, but my mom ended up going to her school to take her out from her birthday, so I didn't, but I'm excited to send them this year.

 

[okeydokey]

My DDs first serious relationship is heading south. Their one year anniversary is a week away and I don't know they will make it. She hasn't really slept in a few days, can't eat. I am worried but I can't help much. Thankfully her apartment is about 45 minutes away so I was able to get up there a couple of nights ago. If he wants it over I just hope he ends it soon and doesn't drag it out.

 

[MomofKatie]

I am on a first name basis with our local post office worker, I send so many packages! I loved the pumpkin idea, so I did that this year. DD laughed- she rode her bike from the mail center to her dorm clutching her pumpkin. I included a buttload of candy and a cute pair of Halloween themed PJ pants.

Other boxes I have sent:
-snack foods from the grocery store (hot chocolate packets, microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, easy mac, ramen, applesauce cups, granola bars, etc.
-fun candy and snack foods from our local Asian grocery store- botan rice candy, shrimp chips, seaweed snacks, Pocky, etc.
-vacation goodies (T and necklace from our beach trip without her)
-finals survival box with school supplies, coffee, a fun new coffee mug, and candy.
-grooming package including cotton rounds, cleanser, shampoo, shower gel, a new loofah, razors, lotion, and hair elastic.
-get better box with cold meds, tea, honey, and other first aid type supplies.

 

[sk!mom]

I am not a good care package sender. I have Amazon Prime, and just order DD the stuff she needs. I just ordered her an alarm clock yesterday because I think using her phone as an alarm is interfering with her sleep. Her roommate has a car, so they have easy supermarket and drug store access and I would rather pay for a dinner out at a restaurant as a treat than postage. On the other hand, I am really looking forward to hearing all of your adorable ideas. I may need them next year when Niece goes to college. She seems to equate care packages with love, so I will have to learn.

Amazon Prime is awesome. I have used it so much the last couple of years to send things she needed and sometimes for care packages.

I am on a first name basis with our local post office worker, I send so many packages! I loved the pumpkin idea, so I did that this year. DD laughed- she rode her bike from the mail center to her dorm clutching her pumpkin. I included a buttload of candy and a cute pair of Halloween themed PJ pants.

Other boxes I have sent:
-snack foods from the grocery store (hot chocolate packets, microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, easy mac, ramen, applesauce cups, granola bars, etc.
-fun candy and snack foods from our local Asian grocery store- botan rice candy, shrimp chips, seaweed snacks, Pocky, etc.
-vacation goodies (T and necklace from our beach trip without her)
-finals survival box with school supplies, coffee, a fun new coffee mug, and candy.
-grooming package including cotton rounds, cleanser, shampoo, shower gel, a new loofah, razors, lotion, and hair elastic.
-get better box with cold meds, tea, honey, and other first aid type supplies.

Right there with you. I send 1 or 2 every month. I joke that I need an intervention. DD and I are perfectly suited- I love to give gifts and her love language is definitely gifts.

Someone mentioned Pinterest- if you do a search for care packages, you will see a ton of cute ideas.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

DD quit school and hasn't told us yet. She just threw away her scholarship. I can't express how disappointed and disgusted I am.

I know I'm late to the party - but I want to say that I did the same thing your daughter did (except not as soon). I am doing well with my life - I work for a health insurance company building health plans. (I code the computer and troubleshoot issues that come up). At one time I was claims manager for the largest TPA in the state - I left that for my current position so that I had time to spend with my then elementary school aged daughter. I can afford everything we need and a lot of the things I want and I'm able to send my girl to school loan free. My sister on the other hand, has one of those degrees that's considered to be job secure and good money. She scrounges and scrapes and needs frequent cash infusions. That piece of paper doesn't mean automatic life success if the recipient doesn't take of advantage of it. That's not to say your daughter won't go back to school and get her degree - I would have if we had a university closer than two hours to where I lived - I'm just saying that smart kids will do well no matter what and she may take awhile to find her path, but she'll find it.

 

[donac]

DD quit school and hasn't told us yet. She just threw away her scholarship. I can't express how disappointed and disgusted I am.

I have been a lurker for a while. My sons are 31 and 26 and I taught high school seniors for 38 years.

I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. My older son did not quit but we forced him to leave his college after 1 year. He was an above aveage student in high school without really trying too hard. It caught up with in college. When I found out he failed calculus (which taught ) it was the last straw. We gave him 2 weeks to give us a reason why he should go back. He didn't so we signed him up for the local community college.

Right now he does not have a full time job but it is not because he hasn't tried. (His last possible full time job that he wanted he was told he was too qualified for it). He is an in charge of labs at the same community college he went to, he adjuncts there since he has his Master's, he adjuncts at another community college and fills in his earnings by working at JCPennys. He recently got married and is very happy. I am just praying that he will get a full time job at either a high school or a local community college.

Moral It will work out. We thought it was awful at the time but things worked out.

Good luck

 

[snoodledoo]

I'm so glad you're starting to feel a little better.

Why not text her and suggest a little ice cream therapy for her too? It works. I promise and will break the ice

DH and I met up with her for dinner last night. I decided I didn't want to talk about the past - it would only lead to disagreement and what's done is done. We weren't going to convince her of anything and she wouldn't be able to change my mind either. So we just talked about her plans for the future. She wants to get a job and work for a while. She does plan to go back to school at some point and will be better prepared.

 

[Aliceacc]

DH and I met up with her for dinner last night. I decided I didn't want to talk about the past - it would only lead to disagreement and what's done is done. We weren't going to convince her of anything and she wouldn't be able to change my mind either. So we just talked about her plans for the future. She wants to get a job and work for a while. She does plan to go back to school at some point and will be better prepared.

It sounds like you and your husband handled this perfectly!!

Will she be moving back home?

 

[Aliceacc]

On a totally unrelated note: I'm thinking of sending my son a small (2ft??) prelit tabletop Christmas tree for his dorm room. I'll order just before Thanksgiving so he'll get it afterwards. Any suggestions?

 

[snoodledoo]

It sounds like you and your husband handled this perfectly!!

Will she be moving back home?

She is currently living with my parents and will probably continue to do so. She comes over and spends the night here about once or twice a week.

 

[luvsJack]

My DDs first serious relationship is heading south. Their one year anniversary is a week away and I don't know they will make it. She hasn't really slept in a few days, can't eat. I am worried but I can't help much. Thankfully her apartment is about 45 minutes away so I was able to get up there a couple of nights ago. If he wants it over I just hope he ends it soon and doesn't drag it out.

Don't you think, sometimes it would just be easier if the one afraid they are about to be dumped would just go on and do the dumping? I hate that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop for my kid. But I know its hard for someone who still cares and wants to be in the relationship to do that. Heck, I couldn't have done it with someone I cared about. But it is so hard to see your child hurting.

DD isn't in a relationship right now but her 10 year friendship has just come to a screeching halt. Its been faulty for a while now but I think dd was trying to stay friends because they had been besties for so long. Same one that I mentioned upthread getting mad because dd had plans to go to the football game and didn't drop them to go dress shopping with the friend. Halloween night, dd and her friends at school were all invited to a Halloween party. Her so called "best friend" and another high school friend--neither of which had text or called her in over a week, texted her that morning and asked what she was doing for Halloween. She told them she was going to a party. Well, the bestie proceeded to invite herself and the other girl. DD tried every way in the world to be nice and hint around that it was just for those that had been invited. Finally she had to be blunt about it and besides the guy having the party said plainly "no outside folks" because he didn't want the numbers to get out of hand. So dd tells her friend that she was sorry but she already had plans and they would have to do something the next weekend. And all heck broke loose. The "friend" accused dd of dumping them for her new friends and called her fake and other names not Dis friendly. DD was so mad she was shaking which made her new friends angry so one of them picked up the phone and told the girl off. So, anyway, now the girl just keeps trying to start a FB/Instagram war with pictures and postings about success being the best revenge and looking down on haters and other such nonsense. Dd said this morning, she was unfollowing and unfriending because it wasn't worth the drama. She loves he new friends and the life she is living right now but I know it still hurts. Especially when they post pictures of stuff she wanted them all to do together or places she wanted them to go together and making snide remarks toward her.

I guess this road from high school life into college/adult life has a lot harder bumps in it than we thought.