There's something in us that wants to think of our kids as one unit.  It's cuz we are doing things and making decisions for "the kids".  But the reality is that they are separate, totally different individuals.  So, it's natural to like one better than another tho your intentions are informally benevolent for all.   It's just nature, SMto3.

Though we did have two phases. He went to boarding school at 15. He came home at 17 and finished HS at our local HS.  He graduated HS at 17.  Our hard cut over to empty nester status was 4mos before he turned 19.

He left for USAF BMT and launched into his adult life.

We did not have particularly overwhelming drama with him. He was a pretty good kid all things considered.  Just some fairly innocuous teen boy brain farts.  Though there were certainly a few occassions where either his mom or I were ready to wring his neck. Fortunately for him, when one of us was ready to do him in, the other was willing to give him another day.

We still miss him.  

Awwww this is sweet. I wish I had a normal dude and normal skids. 
 

Due to this difficult militant with me but Disneyland with those skids, his behavior has caused me to have zero feeling for his lazy pushy clingy disrespectful spawns. 
 

My bio kid is almost done with HS and once I ditch this ball

n chain, I'll be an empty nester too

If SS23 ever did move out I would miss him dearly! SS18 can kick rocks. I get it.