On Days Like This, College Madness Seems a Little Less Important

Our daughter was in first grade on Sept. 11, 2001. It was a day when the only thing that seemed to offer hope was that beautiful blue sky, the sky that had also ushered in devastation. Thoughts of college were a long way off then -- but we also didn't know, at that moment, when we'd see normal again.

So today, nearly 10 years later, the world has a shorter to-do list. And we need to be grateful for our heroes, dead and alive, who've enabled us to continue living our lives in relative comfort and safety. So that we can squander untold hours worrying about college and how much is too much to spend on getting our children ready for what is, in the end, just four years of their lives.

Let's celebrate the good, in the now. College will take care of itself (with a little help from dedicated, determined parents).

Also follow Karen at NJ.com/Parental Guidance.