Lil, one thing I learned from my four are that our dreams of fun Mom moments are not guaranteed. Even a typically wired kid may feel prom is a joke. I did. Ok, so I wasn't typical, but typical friends had no interest in prom either. Not all teens, even nice ones, care about these things. Jumper is the only kid of mine who went, and it WAS fun (she was prom queen) but prom is really for our kiddos, not us. If we enjoy it too, that's a bonus. But not all kids care about school activities and some who don't are perfectly normal.
Graduation is also for them. My kids all went, but I refused to go. I was not proud of my school record [l struggled and did not think walking across a stage would be a proud moment so I sat it out. I was threatened if I didn't go. But nothing could make me. I hated school and 900 kids graduated with me (and my last name was at the end of the alphabet). Graduation was outdoors. It was 90 degrees. I wasn't going to do it. School had been a bad experience and a failure to me. I was not going. I felt no pride or sense of accomplishment.
Until my diploma was mailed to me, my grandma didn't believe I'd graduated...lol.
None of my kids finished four year college either. Not all kids go. I'm proud of my kids. They all have good jobs, especially Bart.I am very proud that Jumper is going to be a cop. I am proud of Sonics kitchen job. Princess is now an awesome stay at home mother. And I'm proud she became a certified Pastry Chef. But none did four years of college
I don't find myself thinking about when my kids were young, although they were everything. I was a stay at home mom. I don't know if others do. After all, I have a granddaughter and grandson. I have them to baby now.
Lil. I hope you feel better knowing that not all parents watch their kids do school functions that are fun for us. In some peer circles, things like prom aren't cool. Depends on the teen. Not all parents see prom. And not all care. Its very individual.
Lil, if it helps, I do get your point though and I think having an only child makes it harder. All dreams we have live or die with that one kid.
Sorry your heart hurts. You deserve so much happiness.
