Parenting Rights of Passage

There are several times a parent experiences a "right of passage."  First, becoming a parent - which places you in the "completely clueless - but blissfully unaware" category.  You move from this when your precious offspring takes his/her first step (which you miss photographing because the camera has no batteries).  Next, you tumble into the "what parenting book do you recommend?" category, where you desperately try to keep up with your toddler (read: get one mess cleaned up before the next one is hits).  If you survive and make it to the first day of pre-school passage, you have graduated to the "playdate scheduling/birthday party gift buying" category and find that you now surf the internet for the cheapest means possible to keep your ball of energy entertained.  The first day of kindergarten passage usually involves a few tears (both grown-up and child) and moves you to the "parent volunteer" category - which includes everything from cupcakes to papier mache materials with 30 minutes notice. This phase lasts until your first born inevitably announces that he/she would like to learn to drive.  Your attempts to convince him/her that driving you crazy is adequate fall flat and you are suddenly trembling into the "close your eyes and hope for the best" phase.  When the driver's license is finally a reality and you have a second chauffer at your service - you realize there may be some small payoffs to all the heart stopping moments previously endured.  Then, just when you think "boy, I may be getting the hang of this parenting thing" the college phase begins and you are right back at the "clueless" stage - however, this time, there is no blissful unawareness, it is painful and expensive.  Having just entered this little rite, I -  having the privilege of accompanying Alex to visit her first choice campus -  would like to say that it is a whole new (and daunting) world.  It was much easier when the task of the day to master was successfully getting mashed peas into a chubby little mouth.  Now, I have to figure out how to get my daughter into a "Ferrari" school on a "Kia" budget and really let her leave.  Give me mashed peas anyday...