Helping Kids Prepare to Go Off to College

Preparing kids to go off to college and successfully live on their own can be extremely difficult. In the modern world, there are so many distractions that can prevent your teenager from concentrating in class and managing their life responsibly.  Parents should be aware that after 18 years of being taken care of at home, kids are not always thoroughly prepared to make it on their own.  Sometimes parents find it worthwhile to take classes to learn successful parenting techniques to positively guide your children through life lessons.  We all know that often kids won’t listen to their own mother or father, however, these classes teach parents skills they might not otherwise employ. 

It is beneficial to your child to educate them on how to manage finances, plan their time, make friends, and make useful decisions.  The following are tips to raise an independent child who can successfully take care of themselves once they are off to college.

Helping kids plan their time

Time management is a key element in everyday life. While at college, your child will be expected to attend classes, do homework, spend time in the library, and possibly participate in sports and other school related activities. They will also want to go out with friends, stay up late, attend parties, etc. Your child has to learn to create a balance between school work and personal life. In order to achieve this goal, you need to show them how to make a time table. Talk about how many hours they require to sleep, and the effects of oversleeping. Tell them the impacts of not doing homework or attending classes, and show them how manage study skills.  Discuss that they will also need time to interact with friends, enjoy their hobbies, and relax.

Helping kids manage their finances

Financial management skills are important. It is good to teach your child how to budget for their funds. Teach them to draw a long term budget that can last a semester in order to avoid running short on cash too soon. Teach them to avoid impulse buying as this will leave them penniless within a very short time. You can start during their senior year of high school by giving them money and watch their habits in order to ensure that they are spending wisely. Teach them to make a list of all things they wish to buy and then prioritize what is necessary and what is desirable.  Remember you are the role model they imitate, so demonstrate it with your spending habits.

Helping kids make solid decisions about issues in life

Life is full of challenges, and so kids need to be prepared to face the challenges through education, counseling and awareness.  If you are religious, take them to your spiritual center for advice on good morals. Let them attend teen seminars and workshops in order to learn how to handle different issues in life and how to make decisions.  Educate them on legal issues so that they can know their rights and how to respect the rights of others. Teach them the steps to take in case someone violates their rights. Let them know that crime is punishable by law, and so they should avoid any criminal acts in order to stay safe and free.  Be a role model for your children.