The other Cheryl has more of a brain cell than I do lol...

I only wish Cheryl H :*)

galwaygirl - never fear they do eventually move out. My son moved in and out quite a few times, dragging various friends with him. He's been on his own for a few years now... can't remember how long, more than three years. He's 31.

Cheryl
Thanks, that's good to know.
My son is 33 and he left 5 yrs ago when I gave him a plane ticket to Saskatoon Saskatchewan. That's where he wanted to go God knows why but, he is doing well there. You have given me renewed hope that the 23 yr old will find his wings soon. I will be patient.

Galwaygirl ~ I am a newbie to arlonet and all things Arlo. after seeing him in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in May of this year. Always a fan of the music, I totally caught the vibe when I saw him live and was drawn here. Have tix to see him in Ottawa in October.
I've been enjoying browsing the stories and comments in my spare time and all the comments here rang soooo true as I am also a mom of 2 now adult children, a daughter 29 and a son 28. They are both happy and successful and each, in their own way, put me through my paces as a single mom (their dad and I divorced when they were 4 nd 5) when they were growing up. Each child is different but they all need something that only a parent can give them...self-confidence and absolute love and unconditional acceptance. My only 'rule' in raising my two was for myself.....never, ever, ever do any of the things that my parents did to me that caused me frustration, anger or upset and ALWAYS do all of the things that they did that made me feel safe, secure, protected and above all LOVED and part of a family and made me feel responsible to that family in return. By-the-by, from my own experience and the in-put of many friends, a lots of boys are slow to the draw these days. It's a tough world out there and they just aren't that anxious to leave the nest. The summer after my son turned 25, I bought an '88 Dodge conversion van and drove him and his girlfriend, as well as my daughter on a cross-Canada roadtrip. On the way back from Vancouver Island, I left my son and his girlfriend in a little spot outside Edmonton, Alberta with my girlfriend and her husband. (One province over from Saskatchewan - we Canadians all send out kids "out west" for life experience : ) They had to work for their keep at the bed and breakfast until they got established. They both found jobs at Costco and moved into Edmonton where they stayed for two years and did really well. Last summer I flew out and helped them pack up and we drove home together...another most excellent roadtrip...because they got their jobs transferred to a new Costco store an hour away from home. They are close but independant and above all, they are happy and come for weekends all the time. My daughter is also only an hour away and home most weekends. Life is good. : ) It all works out in the wash. Be well.

Excellent story and advice coming from an (obviously) loving and caring Mother!!!

Thanks for that, Kevin and yes, I do adore my two. It's the one thing in life they have always been sure of. So much so that once when they were young and scrapping, I lost my cool and threatened to "knock the pair of them into the middle of next week if they didn't quit it." They looked at one another and then at me and my daughter, in an incredulous tone with a smile on her face replied, "Yeah, right, Mom". We all burst out laughing and I totally lost my thunder but they stopped because it all melted into humour. I never had and never would lay a hand on either of them.
How is your Maggie May doing? She can't stray too far afield with a wonderful handle like that : ) Be well.

My Maggie May (here in the South Maggie is short for Magnolia) is......well, she's 26. Other than that she is a great young lady, kind of a late bloomer, unlike her older sister Mary (29). She is struggling a bit with "adult" responsibilities in general, but she is steadily coming around. I shouldn't be too critical since I was more or less the same way (some would question my use of the term "was"). She works full time and goes to college full time at night so I really should give her a break......after all, college kids will do what college kids do......

Magnolia....how beautiful is that! I think it's absolutely lovely and does conjure up images in my mind of pre-civil war 'Gone With The Wind' South. It does sound like the second child thing - late bloomers but once they take wing, they fly!
Mine Maggie is, of course, Margaret and Mae for two special aunts and also my birth month but the Celtic thing - just can't help pet-naming. I also go by Peggy so I have 5 different pieces of I.D. with various combinations which is murder at the airports these days. : )