Wishing she was still there
Flo had a wonderful three days in Oxford – a taste of the freedom, companionship and joy of student life. Sadly, she’s convinced that she didn’t get in – and she’s not the kind of person who over-dramatises how badly an interview/exam went, so it’s probably best to anticipate the worst and just be glad to have had the experience. Anyway whatever happens my prayer is that she gets into the university that is the right place for her, so if she doesn’t get an offer from Oxford then I’m sure that one of her other choices will be the place that was intended for her.
And by the way I know this wittering on about this is boring for most people and I know that some people would think I’m just another middle-class, pushy, ambitious mother. But for me it is just a spilling over of my love of my daughter, of caring just as much as she does because I can’t bear for her to feel disappointment. And to think I have three more children to enjoy this experience with!
posted by Julie Oakley at Wednesday, December 12, 2007
7 Comments:
Trust me, there are a lot of others out here that know how you feel. You bring back our memories.
I also have a daughter (the oldest) and 3 boys -- all grown and on their own now. We too went through these steps towards their futures.
Now, our daughter is a successful mechanical engineer, one son a physics teacher, one an architect, and one in the Navy. Three are married with a child.
Enjoy the process with each of your kids. The time goes by so quickly!
I'm joining you in a quick prayer for Flo getting into the place right for her.
Vicky
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32739368@N00/
it's a tense time and I agree with you entirely - I hope she gets in if it makes her happy but if she doesn't .... then I hope she'll be happy and do well elsewhere.
I've been there with my daughters! (not Oxford or Cambridge) it all worked out ok in the end :D
Lovely drawing, Julie. Your "wittering on", is just part of being a caring parent. Besides it's your blog for drawing and talking about what's going on in YOUR life, at the moment, this is.
I think it's going through it for the first time that's the difficult bit, combined with the wrench of them leaving you to live somewhere else. My eldest is a girl too, and she's now a very successful financial consultant. When you've seen the whole process with the first I think it gets easier. (I have 6 altogether - 2 still at home!) The challenges of motherhood never end do they? They just change.
I don't see it as wittering on at all, and you don't come across as a pushy parent. I guess there are people who put a negative spin on the way they see and judge but it's your life and we all want our children to be happy and do well. I haven't reach this stage yet but I'm dreading it!
I agree with your other readers. It's funny how, maybe because of books and television, we start to look at ourselves through the harsh lens of the critic or the satirist, such that even being "middle class" makes us self-conscious. So that writing about your daughter and your hopes for her makes you second-guess. But don't. It's a lovely sketch and a lovely post and I hope her worries are unfounded.
Thank you for all of your support. You just go through every step with them with your heart in your mouth don't you?
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