One sadness in my son's leaving is thinking about losing our great foursome. We played Bigs against the Littles in card games and team mini golf for years. Like most families we've accumulated family stories, traditions, silly sayings, and in-jokes. When my children were really young, I used to write down their funny sayings. These anecdotes are a great antidote to a sad mood, or dull moment.
TV is a family's greatest enemy.
My favorite years were those when we put the TV away and found renewal in playing games, reading aloud, and being silly. Self-esteem comes from self. By middle school, my children knew we would be partners in their plans for higher education. We would handle most of the finances, but they had to help by keeping up their grades and getting involved in school activities. When college acceptances and price breaks came in, my son found pride in his hard work.