Mom's ritual to help daughter adjust with the dorm life as she moves out sparks debate

Moving to a new city for studies and setting up a space for oneself in a dorm with complete strangers can be a challenge but that's where loved ones step up to help young students adapt. One such mom who helped her child adjust to the new surroundings took to Instagram to share a ritual that made her feel better when her daughter went to the dorm. The mom, Lori Miggins who goes by @lorimiggins on Instagram, started her video with the overlay text, "New college mommas, here's an easy way to send your firstborn off to college," as she lay on a bed.

She moved the camera to show her daughter who was sleeping at the other end of the room. She then waved at the camera and smiled as the text read, "Spend the first night with them." In the caption, the mother went on to explain, "I know not everyone will have this chance but if you can, do it! Very lucky that athletes moved in early, her roommate's bed was available and I had the chance to spend the first night in my daughter’s college dorm room with her. But now to finish up and say goodbye."

The mom talked to TODAY about dropping her 18-year-old at college and said, "I wanted her to sleep over. We’re just so close and I didn’t want to be alone." Her daughter, Taylor said, "Having my mom there helped my anxiety so much," and Miggins added, "She’s my firstborn, so the last few months have been really hard, you know, picturing life without Taylor in the house. There’s a fear of the unknown." Describing their ritual further, she said, "I was able to get her acclimated. We hung out with all of her friends, we met the RA and we ate in the dining hall together."

Not just to help her daughter, Miggins also did it to feel more at ease as they will be separated for a while. People took to the comments section to share their opinions and had mixed reactions to the situation. @_the.lions.den._ quipped, "Tell us you're a helicopter mom without telling us you're a helicopter mom." But @ms.meganj defended her saying, "I can't understand these negative people. I guess they didn't have as great a relationship with their mom or daughter. This reminds me of Rory and Lorelei Gilmore. Nothing ick or creepy. It's called being supportive."

@michfc5 remarked, "Absolutely not. First, this just gives me the ick. Second, I love my daughters and missed them like crazy when I dropped them off at college, but their first night at college was to meet new friends and start living independently. You gave them roots, now give them wings." @ailine45 then questioned the criticism saying, "Why is everyone so upset? Have y’all been on a college campus recently? It’s not cool to bully people anymore, literally, nobody will give her a hard time because her mom spent the 1st night. Also how lovely that she’s not an angsty teenager who’s embarrassed of her parents. I wish I had grown out of that sooner. My mom is my best friend and I would’ve loved to spend my first night with her."

In a follow up post, the mom wrote, "It’s amazing how we spend 18 years preparing our children to become independent and go off on their own and then when the day comes the person that’s not ready is YOU! We are a family, we are a unit, and now a piece of us is somewhere else. Probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. So proud of you."   

You can follow Lori Miggins (@lorimiggins) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.