Marilee Stark
About this author:
Marilee is a psychotherapist specializing in families, teens and young adults. A former high school teacher and adjunct college instructor, she's currently writing a bi-monthly parent advice column for the Berkeley Times. She's also published in A Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers and A Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers II.
In her free time she likes to chase down her two daughters, now in their twenties, who are busy in graduate school and working abroad.
My Articles:
The Boyfriend and the Dog
Being a mom of adult children is so hard sometimes.
But being a mom to my daughter’s boyfriend and his dog was not what I signed up for. Yet, in spite of this, I told my youngest daughter, who is twenty-two, she could have her boyfriend stay for awhile until he found a place and, of course, his adorable chocolate lab puppy could stay, too — for awhile.
Over the months I grew fonder of her boyfriend who helped me fix things around the house. And his dog, Chuck, who chased my three cats for play, left dog hair in every corner of the house, and begged me in the mornings for walks, won my heart despite my complaints.
“Someone else needs to walk Chuck,” I’d say three or four times a week, but every morning I’d look into those big brown eyes and dissolve, “Okay, Chuck, let’s go. I’ll take you,” and I’d grab the leash, a few plastic doggie bags and off we’d go.
Still a Mom at Sixty
I’m standing in the middle of my daughter’s living room with debris and clutter everywhere. The moving boxes are still unpacked. It’s 7 a.m. and I’ve just flown to Los Angeles for the day to help her pack up and move back home.
Actually, I’ve come to make sure she doesn’t bring everything she owns back and use my house as a storage unit. As I survey the scene I see hours of work ahead of me. My daughter, Annie, is moving home after four years at college. I’m not sure how long she’ll stay, but I’m thrilled to have her for as long as I can get her.
It’s hard to believe that one week ago almost to the day I was standing in this very same living room amidst a crowd of her friends and their families celebrating their college graduation.
Graduation
Dear Mom,
I wish you were here. Your youngest granddaughter is about to walk across the stage for her college diploma. You’d be so proud! She’s graduating Cum Laude in biochemistry, no less! I just want to jump up and down here in the amphitheater and yell at the top of my voice, “You did it, girl, you made it. We made it!”
I know, Mom, you worried that I wouldn’t have enough money to send one of your granddaughters to college, much less two. You worried about me, not them. You knew they’d be okay. I kept telling you not to worry. I know better now. . . you can’t tell a mom not to worry!
Oh, I wish you were here to take in this proud moment with me. I’m sitting next to your oldest granddaughter who graduated college last year. She’s already working in a real job, making real money.
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