Hi, forum!
I'm new to PsychCentral, so please excuse any taboo informalities that I am not aware of :-)

Anyway, I am really confused on how/what I am feeling at the moment. I am a 20 year old male and for the past 5 summers off of school, I have taken care of two siblings: a boy (15) and a girl (11). This past summer was the 5th summer being their "manny" (male-nanny lol.) I would literally keep them with me from 8am to 6pm Monday-Friday, May through mid-September. So, naturally, I have become very close to them. Their father is currently not in the picture, and I feel like they (and I) have created a different type of bond because of that. Because I was with them so much, doing everything for them, (i.e. making lunches, entertaining them, taking them to eat dinner, etc) and as bad as it sounds, I almost felt like a "father figure."

Well the last day of me watching them came, and I became a completely different person after that day. I have been extra "down" and constantly think about and wonder how the kids are doing, even though they keep in constant contact with me. I feel like I am missing a small piece of myself, and its such a huge adjustment going from having such a huge responsibility of keeping them and ensuring they're safe, to now not having that responsibility everyday. I do occasionally keep them when they are not in school, and my personality takes a complete 360° turn. I will be keeping them again this coming summer, so that does help knowing that.

But, I guess my question is: is there something wrong with me? Is it normal to miss the kids like I do? I am otherwise not the type of person to become attached to others, but this is different..and I am having a hard time putting it into words/thoughts, and I would appreciate your opinions/insights.

Thanks in advance!