Parents have a lot of difficulties to overcome when sending their kids to college. Parents not only need to figure out the financial burden of sending a child to school, but they also need to establish a relationship with their kids as they move out of the home and begin living on their own for the first time. It is difficult for any parent and child to find the right balance that will both keep them all connected and also allow the child to find his or her independence.
There are a lot of ways that parents can stay connected to their college students without being overbearing. Parents can use the right methods that will help them maintain a healthy relationship with their child throughout their lives. Any parent can use these ideas to create a stronger relationship with their adult child. Here are some ways parents can stay connected to their college student.
Set up a weekly phone call
Having a date that everyone will always stick too is the best way to ensure that everyone will get a chance to talk regularly. Parents can work with their student’s new schedule to set up a time once a week that they will use Vonage phone plans to talk about what is going on in each other’s lives that week.
Plan for holidays and breaks in advance
Many parents will make the mistake of assuming that their children will be coming home for every break they have from school. Though this may be true for some kids, a lot of students will make other plans if they do not hear definite plans from their parents. Parents should plan in advance what they want to do for school breaks and suggest those options to their kids.
Be careful when giving advice
Parents will often want to give their children as much advice and guidance when they are in college as they did while the kids were still living at home. Parents need to recognize that now is the time when their child needs to make his or her own decision and create a new life.
Support their new life
Just as parents need to be careful about giving out advice, they also need to be supportive of their children’s new lives and the decisions that they are making. Parents of course can step in when the child is making a decision that will harm him or her, but parents also need to understand that at this stage, kids need to make their own decision and sometimes, their own mistakes, in order to shape their identity outside the home.
Find a new communication platform
Because parents and college students will not get to see each other face to face as much, parents can use technology to find a new way to see their children. Video calls and social media are just a couple popular ways that parents can stay involved in their student’s lives without seeing them in person every day.
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3 Comments
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Lot of good advice here for parents. Always good to keep in touch!
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All good points to remember. My oldest is a Junior in HS so this is helpful for me. Thanks.
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