The Tortured Knitters Dept.

Red-eyed and weary, the young adult emerges, burrowing out of their books and dark dorm, triggered by the promise of warmth, food, and shrill summer song. Like a raunchy cicada ready to party, our college kids head home en masse. Aside from a lot of ear-piercing noise, here’s what to expect when those lovely insects of ours arrive home for summer break.

They Have Molted

Your college kid isn’t that cute little baby nymph anymore. The 17-year lifecycle happened in a blink and now our babies have wings to fly.

As my own noisy brood arrives home for another summer, I have learned to meet them where they are in life. Whether they have just completed their freshman year or are graduating and facing an unknown future, college kids have experienced a lot of highs, lows, and stress this past year away from home. They have grown and molted into young adults.

As a parent, I try to take a deep breath and back off, letting them adapt to their new environment and rest from the great journey they have been on. That is until they start shedding their skins everywhere…

Everyone Will Be Bugged

While your kid(s) have been away at college your home has been quiet, clean, and more organized. (And the utility bills have been a lot lower.) On the flip side, your college kid has had the blissful freedom of making their own choices without a nagging parent buzzing around them. Expect everyone to be bugging out upon reentry into the family unit.

Shedding of Skins

Expect little messes everywhere. Shoes will pile at the front door. Hairballs will appear on shower walls. Bedrooms will become little hordes of dishware. Garbage bags of laundry will rot in the hallway.

Reminiscent of the days when the primary colors of the Jolly Jumper and Exer-saucer took over your living room as the Wiggles blared from the T.V., this too shall pass.

2 a.m. Feedings

I’m not talking about those sweet Goodnight Moon, rocking chair feedings. Nah, these feedings involve every light on in the house, banging of pots and pans, and brownies baking (read burning) at 2 a.m.

A Sweet Chorus

There seem to be as many days of frustration as there are cars in my driveway, but there is also a magical melody happening. If you listen beyond the irritating buzz, there is a sweet chorus of song.

I try to capture this harmony of life, appreciating the highs and lows before all my little bugs drop from the family tree, burrowing back into their books and morphing into their own lifecycles where they create their own raucous offspring. I hope you too can stop and enjoy the noise.