Growing Pains

The Nocturnal Child has just completed the first competency test in the university application process – successfully completing the UCAS form.  It took some considerable time as the website was slow, mainly because almost every other 18 year old in the country had also left it until the last minute to put their applications in.  It took three days in total to make the payment because every time I tried, the website fell over. I typed my card number in so many times that I've learned it by heart.  I wonder how many other exasperated parents there were out there this week and last?

Having got her application in before the deadline, the Nocturnal Child is now receiving electronic correspondence from the five establishments she has applied to.  Her first choice university, (which happens to be the furthest away geographically) wrote her an enormously unhelpful email telling her that their applications closed two weeks previously and that they would be considering the applicants who met their deadline before looking at hers.  Fair enough though… I should imagine that they laid their timescales out clearly in their prospectus. 

Her second choice, which coincidentally is the second furthest away, also emailed but this time told her that they require her to complete their own application process before they will consider her application.  Given the speed with which she made the initial application, I think we can fairly safely write that one off too.  The other three, which are all much closer to home and therefore commutable, seem to be OK.

I'm not really sure what the Nocturnal Child is planning though.  She frequently (and loudly) expresses the desire to get as far away from home as possible, yet in the next breath threatens us with another four years of having her living at home while she is studying.  She has spoken of making a late application through 'clearing', yet continually fails to look for/secure regular work and start saving for the autumn term while she waits for her finance to come through. 

If she stays at home and commutes, I will still have the benefit of a live-in babysitter a couple of days a week.  She might moan constantly about her misfortune but she will, at a push, get up and take YD to early morning gymnastics (7.50am start) and do school pick ups when nobody else is around.  The Nocturnal Child can also, occasionally, be bribed into doing some of the less pleasurable jobs around the house and garden for unreasonably large amounts of money.  She has moments of tidiness when she gets up at 5am and cleans the kitchen (I must stress that these are rare and short-lived) - and three weeks of the month she is almost pleasurable to be with.

But if she goes, the mess will disappear with her.  The sniping and arguing between the sisters should diminish as well.  And finally a truce will be called between her and DH, even if it is enforced by absence.  My life will become calm and conflict-free.  DH and YD will only have me to hen-peck them.  OD's OCD will be able to progress beautifully without the 'mess-stress' caused by her sister.  We will be able to reclaim the dining room table from her all encompassing art projects and not have to squeeze five of us around the tiny table in the breakfast room for six meals out of seven.

Only time will tell what will happen, but I can honestly say that if she goes I will miss her.  And if she stays, I will miss not missing her.