You can’t wait for your college student to come home for the summer. You are so excited to reconnect. However, your student may not be the same person who left for college. Your student has had many freedoms and has been living by his or her own schedule (including late nights and sleeping in). Here are some ways to welcome your student home and still have a peaceful summer.
1. Welcome Your Student: Welcome your student home and show that you want to spend time with him or her. Ask your student to save time for you. Doing something together can strengthen your relationship.
2. Address areas of conflict early and often: Some common areas of conflict include curfews, rules of the house, use of money, household responsibilities, and friends coming over. Productive conversations often involve some negotiation; be prepared with your game plan and find a time to talk with your student.
3. Be Flexible: Parents who enforce the same rules as in high school often face some pushback. Your student might resent your rules and not wish to come home. Flexibility allows for your relationship with your student to grow and mature.
4. Focus on adult-to-adult relationships: Your student is trying to become an adult, and you can be a great role model in helping them adjust to real-life realities. Accepting your student as an adult is a great way to build a positive relationship.
5. Encourage Exploration: Your student may come back as a “new” person. It’s important to be accepting of changes such as hair, clothing, friends, and independence. Appreciating who he or she is becoming can go a long way.
6. Focus on the Goal: Keep your student focused on coming back to college and the long-term goal of graduation. If your student struggled academically, encourage use of campus resources such as First-Year Experience & Transition Programs academic coaching, academic success workshops, and free tutoring at the Study Stops. Local students can meet with Academic Success Coaches for individual coaching over the summer. http://success.unl.edu
Overall, be honest with your student and support his or her transition into adulthood.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/ege5