This one is for the Dorm Kids

We are such a small sector of TCKs, but I could not ignore us for much longer. So this one is for the dorm kids (boarding school kids).

For all the kids who grew up with two, three, four sets of parents. For all the kids who went "home" for Christmas and then went back "home" for school when Christmas was over. For all the kids who make the most of time with their families, every time, because they know exactly how limited it is. This one is for you.

For all the kids who huddled close around candles, laughing, when the lights went out. For all the kids whose friends have always and will always be their family because their family was far away. For all the kids who tucked in younger kids, and who looked up to older kids, and who borrowed everyone else's clothes. For all the kids who struggled in school because it is just impossible to help every dorm kid with homework every night. This one is for you.

For all the kids who got bullied because everyone was struggling different ways. For all the kids who cried themselves to sleep because they missed their parents. For all the kids who left first to boarding school and whose siblings went on with life without them. For all the kids who had to room with their mortal enemies. This one is for you.

For all the kids who stayed up late making mischeif in someone else's room. For all the kids who hid food in their rooms for late night snacks but would never say where so it couldn't be stolen. For all the kids whose stories either prompt intense, unending laughter, or heavy hearted tears. For all the kids whose actual siblings will be their closest friends their whole lives. This one is for you.

For all the kids who knew how to clean a house and do laundry before they hit middle school. For all the kids who have to make a distinction between university dorm life and growing up dorm life in every conversation. For all the kids who have to answer incredibly hard and sometimes awkward or ridiculous questions about their every day lives. For all the kids who can't quite explain how deeply hard it was and also how much they seriously loved it. This one is for you.

And for all the people who really saw us, who stepped outside of their lives and into ours, who raised us, who befriended us, who set aside time in their schedules to help us, and especially all the ones who married us and are always trying to find a way to break through those individulized, I can do this on my own because I have to, walls. Thank you. Because of you, we are us. So this one is for you too.