From Senior to Freshman

“I wonder how his first day is going.” “I hope she’s meeting some new friends!” “I hope his roommate is being nice to him.” “What if she couldn’t find her classes?”On your child’s first day of college, these thoughts and more will likely be running through your mind. But don’t worry! We have a few suggestions to make your child’s transition from high school to college easier for them — and for you as well!Encourage Problem SolvingWhile it can be tempting to dive in and save your child when they struggle, this is an important time to take a step back. Letting him struggle doesn’t mean you don’t love him; quite the contrary! You are helping raise a happy, confident, and independent adult by encouraging him to tackle his problems. When he calls you for help, focus on guiding him rather than offering an immediate solution; your goal is to teach him how to think, not what to think. When in college, his professors will expect him to be an intelligent problem solver, and your child will have you to thank you for helping him develop that skill.Allow Mistakes to be MadeWatching your child fail can be hard, but sometimes we all have to learn the hard way in order to truly learn. Your child will gain valuable insight into how to make better future decisions and learn how valuable it is to own up to her own mistakes. By remembering how she felt in those situations, she will be more gracious and compassionate when someone else in her life makes a mistake.Don’t Over-CommunicateIt can be extremely tempting to contact your child every day, but even daily texts can prevent him from getting the space necessary to grow, discover his independence, and separate his identity from his childhood friends and family. Even if he won’t admit it, your child will miss you just as much, and frequent communication could make the separation even more difficult. If your child is the one initiating too much communication, first make sure everything is okay, and then encourage her to dive right into campus life, try out different campus ministries, and make new friends.By following these guidelines, your student’s transition to college will be made all the easier. Your support, love, and prayers will go a long way to making this time successful!Our blog page has helpful hints for parents to encourage their children to excel academically, spiritually, and socially. To learn more about schools in Orlando, contact us at 407-246-4800.