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Sending your children off to college can be an exciting but stressful time. As you try to make sure that they have everything they need to start their adult lives, some other things can fall by the wayside. Here are some quick tips you should think about when sending your children off to college.
Get the Basics Early
There are some things your children are always going to need when they move away to college. From new bedding for the dorm room to crockery if they have access to a kitchen, you need to make a list of everything as soon as possible. The more you can buy early, the better prepared you will be. Too many parents leave college-shopping until the last moment and struggle to find everything their children want.
For example, you might want to buy your child a car. Having a car in college has a host of benefits and will give your child a real sense of independence. Such a choice needs to be made alongside your child. While you should get final say if you are paying for it, it is important to get take their wishes into consideration.
Spend Time with Them Before You Leave
While phones and video chat allow us to keep in contact like never before, sending your child off to college can be incredibly hard. It doesn’t matter if they are your firstborn, youngest, or somewhere in the middle; saying goodbye can be upsetting for both of you.
Therefore, you should make sure that you spend some quality time together before you leave. Try to do an activity that is completely separate from the college experience. You could catch a film together or head to the spa or do any number of other fun things. However, you should make sure that it is something you both enjoy to avoid any unnecessary bickering or falling out.
Plan a Nice Distraction After
Saying goodbye to each other outside a college dorm room can be an emotional experience. If you think you might struggle with this experience, you should think about planning something nice for you and your partner. It will be the perfect distraction to stop you thinking about your child’s first few hours alone at university.
If you have more children, plan a family activity. This will help you all adjust to the missing sibling and you will begin to move towards life without them being around all the time.
Having parts of your family scattered across the country can be difficult. Approaching this transition as naturally as possible will be incredibly important if you are to ensure that moving to college won’t go off without a hitch. Before you know it, your child will be happily settled in at college and you can instead focus on your new life without them. Sending your children to college is an important part of growing up. With the right care and planning, there are plenty of ways you can make this a positive experience for both of you.