How To Be A College Parent

When your kid goes off to college, there are plenty of Dos and even more Don’ts. Showing up uninvited, calling eight times every day and sending Nana to watch over them and to live with them in their student apartment are definite No-Nos.

But while your kids may give you their own list of what it means “to hover” and insist that your obsession with their safety and comfort are also No-Nos, these are the safety nets you should put in place. Regardless of the push back you may receive from your personal Einstein, the mildly obsessive parent will sleep better than the overly obsessive or under-obsessed parent every night of the week.

Knowing Who to Call.

When your kid goes off to college, they won’t want mom and dad sticking their big, fat noses into every little thing that goes on, but you should keep track of these numbers (and the people they’re attached to) no matter what your student says:

• The manager at their student apartment or the RA in the student dorms

• The Ombudsman on campus

• Your student’s roommates

• The campus police

• The local police

• Your student’s workplace (knowing the supervisor’s name is a good idea)

Your student will probably look on this as an invasion of privacy at first, but
remember, the first time they’re so sick they can’t move for five days, let alone
pick up a phone, they’ll thank you for knowing who to call, especially if their
roommates really respect their privacy and never once checked in on them.

Emergencies.

Helping your child plan for emergencies is an important part of sending them out into the world on their own. Sure, they know to dial 911. But do they know the proper way to exit a fire? Do you have a code word for family emergencies that would disrupt their courses? Do they have a way to get home if you need them—a credit card to buy a plane ticket?

Doctors.

You’ll be helping your student move to college and their new life, no doubt. And when you do, you should call your insurance provider(s) and find out the names and numbers of reputable doctors for your student in the area. Have your child’s medical records sent over to the doctors of your choosing and if you have time, meet the doctors as well as their nurses and staff.

Paying Bills.

If you will be assisting your student in paying bills, you should choose one way and stick with it:

• Put money in their account each month and entrust them to manage their money—but don’t bail them out if they spend the rent on a new leather jacket!

• Set up direct deductions from your checking account.

• Set up the bills to come to your house and then send in a check each month.

Remember, learning to manage money is a part of the growth process and there’s
no better time than college for your child to learn.

1. 

   latisha says:

   April 9, 2010 at 9:26 am

   My two boys are graduating college in May. Neither of them know what they want to do. Found this book yesterday. I’m hoping it will spur them on. “You Have A College Degree, Now What?” http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0578044048/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp