helpus

My 19 yr old daughter is in her second year of college. This year she is going to a local college and has an apartment in the city. The boys downstairs have gone home for the holidays. So they are alone for a few weeks. Last week we got a couple thin envelopes from her bank in the mail. So I knew she over drew her checking account. She uses her ATM card & does not balance. Can't be bothered with that. This is the first time she has gotten it all messed up. It was the last week of her $$ budgeted for the semester. (she almost made it) She did a tranfer of the next semesters $$ but she learned it doen't happen in a day.

She didn't think I knew of anything at this point. Last week she had told me wed night she didn't feel well and thought she was getting sick. On thurs I get a phone call at work with her crying. She said "Mom I ran out of gas and am stuck on Mt Hope (a busy st in the city) I called AAA but they won't be here for 45 min & I am freezing. I said did you put a blanket in your car for the winter like I suggested? She said no. She was just running to school to pick up her roommate who's car was in the shop, so she had wet hair & flip flops on. I said your sick w flip flops? She said well I have socks on. She was very upset cus she thought AAA would tow her to a gas station & she didn't have $$. I explained they would put a little gas in her car & she should be able to make it home & look for $$. She found $5 in change & went to school. I met her at school that night & filled her tank & gave her $10. I said enjoy spagettio's & ramen noodle soup this weekend. I helped but she also had to learn
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We live in the north east & are supposed to get a big storm this sunday. So last night I called her & told her & said her and her roomate need to make sure they have gas in their cars (ha)and have some bread, milk ect just in case. As we were talking she turned on the tv & saw talk of the potental storm. She said 25 inches of snow isn't really alot is it? So as we talk I am telling her to be prepared. I said do you know any neighbors with a wood stove or anything in case you loose power? She said mom I would just drive home duh. We live 45 min away. I told her if it ends up comming & considered a blizzard you arn't alowed on the road. She insists I don't know what I'm talking about. Sure you would drive home. Then she said don't forget I have my portable heater. I said honey it runs on electric. Later on that night she calls from th store & says please don't laugh but if we loose power will the fridge still run? I said no. She said what do we do with the food? I explained how you try not to open the door much & if you had to you can put the food outside.

There are some pricless things a college education just can't teach you.

frankly

((helpus))

That college education may not teach it, but life sure will. The best education I ever received was from my mistakes. I used to joke a lot about my mistakes, I would make some doosies and proclaim that the lesson I learned cost me a lot less than a college degree, and I would NEVER forget that lesson.

There will come a day though that your daughter will tell you that she wished she had listened to you, that's when you know that they have really grown up.

B

Impurrfect

helpus -

I remember one Christmas we lost power....I told dad "just turn the Christmas tree lights on!" I was a bit younger than your daughter, but I am laughing about all the lessons I learned at her age.

Hope you all are safe and warm if the storm hits.

Hugs and prayers!!

Amy

havehope

(((Helpus)))

I also have a daughter in her first year of college. Some of her phone calls to home have been so funny. Of course, I try my best to not laugh while on the phone, since her questions are very urgent and she "needs an answer right now".
From laundry questions to ATM withdrawls, it is still a great lesson they are learning.
I agree, we learn much more in college than what is in the books. Watching her grow up is so much fun for me.

greeteachday

((((Helpus)))))
Your post made me smile, especially the please don't laught but if I loose power does the fridge still run comment I can sure see your recovery shining in this...I suspect just a couple of short years ago, you'd be running out there with groceries and candles and a gas credit card. Well if you weren't like that, I sure was!

Hugs to you and your sweet daughters

St_Kurt

It's kind of funny and scary what people who "know everything" (college students) don't know isn't it?

The best was recently I was talking to someone who's around 19 about beef production. Since I'm in vet school she wanted to know if they really put hormones in the meat at the grocery store. I started explaining about cattle husbandry and why they use food additives. She started looking kind of aghast so I stopped and asked if she had a question. She did. It was:

"You mean that meat comes from ... cows?"

She was completely flabbergasted and so was I.

~SK

Easeful

A few years ago our 25 year old college graduate was living in what became the path of a hurricane. He called looking for advice. I suggested he hit the grocery store and stock up on non perishables as well as batteries, bottled water, etc. He listened to Mom. But apparently didn't want to let on that he was unsure of the definition of non perishable. Four days later he threw away $120.00 of milk, eggs, meat, etc..... Nothing else can substitute for experience.

Abundance

It is so wonderful that your daughter calls you for guidance! Thinking back on my time of calling my mom when I was roasting my first turkey! YES... I went vegetarian afterwards! LOL!!! (only for a few months though, they sent a bunch of steaks my direction cause it freaked them out... my being a new mom and not eating meat!)


The JOY in parenting!!!