Do you wonder how time flies bringing up your children? The little hardships of raising children disappears when you see them grow up to become healthy and hearty young adults with a good-nature. When they are ready to enter college, memories of pre-school and high school years flash across your eyes. It is a moment of truth for every parent.
Going to a college is entirely different from high school. It is a more open environment, and teenagers may find it exciting and overwhelming at times. As parents, you must prepare them in the best way so that they confidently blend into a new system and accept challenges as life goes on. Here are some things you must do before sending your teens to college.
1. These are the best days of your life
As your child is getting ready for a new experience, make him understand how he can enjoy it to the fullest. Tell him about the importance of studies as well as making good friendships. Sometimes college relationships can last longer and be meaningful. Encourage your teen to explore everything this new life gives, though safely and consciously.
2. Share Your First Day of the College Experience
It would be a walk down memory lane. Your child would love to know how his mom or dad ventured into a new situation with many new faces and experiences. Share those and enjoy the lighter moments together.
3. Visit Your Child’s Most Favourite Outing Spots
Go to a few of your child’s most favourite outing spots you may not have visited for a long time. Spend time together and talk about old memories and everything that once made your child happy. Take some pictures which you can look back on later.
4. Go on a Trip Together
It is refreshing to go on trips. Road trips or even your child’s dream vacation destination would be a great way to make the best of your quality time with your teen. Road trips are unique experiences because you get a lot of time to talk and confront tricky situations en route. A vacation away from home would expand their minds about culture and way of life. They will learn new things and realise the world is a much bigger place.
5. Discuss the Importance of Money Management
For many teens, college life would probably be the first time where they handle money by themselves. You should check on funds and ensure they develop a habit of sharing bills with you at the end of the week. Tell them how a penny makes a difference and why it’s essential to value money. It would cultivate a sense of saving and managing money at a young age.
6. Teach them to Cook
If your teen is moving to a hostel, he or she may have to know the basics of cooking. Teach a couple of simple recipes and try them out together. Once away from home, they would crave homemade food and learning some easy recipes would help them big time.
7. Teach How to Use Local Transportation
If your child’s college is far away, he should ideally know all the possible modes of transportation. It could be a bus, train, cab or metro that takes him there and back home. Together explore the various means, and let him or her learn how to use facilities.
8. Shop for College Together
Prepare a list and go shopping together. No matter how simple you want to keep things before sending your teen to college, you definitely don’t want to missing out on shopping together.
9. Daily Calls to Home
Being away from home could be rough initially for you and your teen. Ask them to set a time to talk to you every day and make it a practice. It creates bonding in the long run.
10. Talk
Your teens may be apprehensive about so many things. Talk to them about everything that they might come across gently. Be careful not to put them in doubt or frighten them. Discuss the different backgrounds from which other students might be and why your child need not panic seeing the socio-cultural differences.