A Homebody and a Christmas Tree for 11/25/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My son is strongly considering a college close to us so he can live at home. It’s not a financial decision, as we have set aside enough money for dorms. My wife and I love our son, but we feel it would be best for him to experience college away from us. We are his crutch. How wrong or hurtful would it be to forbid him from living at home? – Nearly Empty Nesters
Dear Nesters: You are your son’s crutch for a reason. For 18 years, you probably allowed him to settle in comfortably in your home without pushing him to his limits. When he balked about attending a birthday party, you probably let him to skip it. When he didn’t want to attend sleep-away camp, you probably happily kept him at home. That’s fine. But now, you can’t expect him to be ready and prepared to fly the coop. You want to pull the crutch away from him without building up a safety net. That’s not fair.
Updated: Sat Nov 25, 2017