In my experience, if you call it decor, it means it costs lots more money than if you call it decoration. I guess it is the less is more principle.
I don't understand the need to buy new stuff to put into a small shared room in another town.
Is it because we want them to feel at home? Wouldn't the stuff that is already in their room be better for that?
Is it so the parents can have a final bonding shopping trip? A chance to decorate a room under parental influence? Pink with green poka-dots?
Is it a way that parents can feel connected to the new nest? Is it a way to cut the apron strings by leaving all the aprons at home?
Is it an excuse to be involved during this most difficult of transitions? Sort of like when we were pregnant pretending the fathers were involved by making them put together a crib.
Is it just an off shoot of our consumer society? Have I become my father (anti money spender) besides being my mother (spending money helps the economy)?
I know for me, I am writing big checks. Big, big, oh my God they are staggering, checks. I am worried about the cost of things like the Calculus text book. Having a garbage can that matches the lamp does not seem very practical. How long is anyone going to live in the dorm and then what do you do with Wall Mural? Do we want these college bound children to need us to transfer their stuff around as well as our own?
Maybe my reaction is purely selfish, I want her to take stuff out of this house so I can get rid of all the crap I have collected, purchased, found, inherited, scrounged. I am in a purging mode.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I did stop at Good Will and may have found an extra long twin bed fitted sheet. If not, I am shipping it back to Good Will.
Day 29. I am writing another big check but not for an extra long twin hypoallergenic poka-dotted mattress pad.
If you are in the mood to "decor" a room click on the title and you will be taken to Pottery Barn for that purpose.
Twenty Years, Two Hundred and Forty Months, Seven Thousand Days, and Three Hundred Days. Since we started chasing Leukemia.
1 comment:
When Amy left for ASU I sent a portable kitchen with her and so many other things I am embarrassed to think of it. Zebra striped twin comforters and hot pink sheets, on and on. Point is I RELATE even after all these years. Why do we do these things, you asked? Because we are attempting to underwrite their success in our own clutzy mommish way. Because we want them to be happy. Because they are only's and we love3 them to distraction. Because we have familial OCD. All of the above, no exceptions. Stop fussing about it. By year two she will be demanding to move into an apt off campus claiming her roommate brings home boys who sleep in her bed and she does not want to put up with that. And you will probably agree. My advice: buy her an inexpensive little house in a neighborhood with potential and let her live there until school is over. Then you have something to sell when her four years are up. Did I do this? No. But I damn well wish I had. Love you, cuz.
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