Summer Bound: A Farewell To The First Year

Hi Parents. It's hard to believe your first year student's semester and year are coming to an end soon. Unless your son or daughter is attending classes in the summer, they may be around the house a lot more. My daughter has decided to stay on campus and take summer classes. But what about you parents who are somewhat nervous about your student being home during the summer? Do you still enforce their earlier curfew? Do you encourage them to get a job and earn some extra money? Or do you have their summer planned with yard work, cleaning out the garage or maybe a family vacation? What about that discussion about their spring semester grades?

Please keep in mind that everyone is going through this transition - parents, students and younger brothers and sisters. Patience and understanding are the keys to success. There's also nothing wrong with consistent and firm rules. Your student is still growing and maturing emotionally, physically and academically. If you are going to have a talk about falling grades, it would be best to do this in a private, quiet spot with a lot of listening going on. We, as parents, have an ideal vision of our student's future which may include 4.0 average, graduate school and a great career and family life. However, the best laid plans of mice and men ....... It's not OUR life but theirs, and they must learn by making some of the same mistakes we did.

I imagine there are some parents out there who didn't take college seriously for one reason or another and their GPAs fell. Gently encourage your student to take advantage of the free tutors on campus, the free counseling and advising, and getting involved with a student group that stresses good study habits and high achievement. If your student went through a breakup of their relationship and his or her grades fell, try to get them to talk about their feelings and ask them to seek help if they need it.

Summer can be an exciting, but also stressful, time for the entire family. Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations of a return to "normal" family life. Your student, on the other hand, may have been living on their own, making their own rules and schedule - and returning home could be a big adjustment for them. To make your summer smooth and stress-free, allow your college student some space. Invite them along on family outings, but don't be too disappointed if they turn you down to spend time with friends or working. This is all part of the process of individuation your student must go through. And, one day soon, your student will graduate from KSU, be well into their successful career, and will be able to take mom and dad out to dinner! Have a safe, fun summer.

Susan