Help your college kid prepare for handling stress.
Professors and parents are recognizing that college students today struggle to handle normal levels of stress. However, your kid can be the exception.
Studio 5 Parenting Contributor Heather Johnson shares things parents can do to help children succeed while they’re away at college.
To contact Heather for counseling, email blog.familyvolley@gmail.com, or visit www.familyvolley.blogspot.com.
How to Help Your College Student With Handling Stress
Today’s college students are juggling more stress than ever, but parents can make their kids’ college journey smoother.
Don’t Call or Text Everyday
When it comes to staying connected, Heather’s got one rule: chill with the constant calls and texts. Let your soon-to-be college student set the texting pace. It’s all about giving them the reins and letting them spread their wings.
Encourage Them to Schedule Down Time
Make sure your college student is penciling in some down time on their schedule. Balance and self-care are an important part of life!
Let Failure Be Normal
Heather encourages parents to show their kids the silver lining in every slip-up.
Allow Them to Solve Problems on Their Own
Letting your young adult tackle problems solo is a power move. It’s like teaching them to face discomfort head-on, which is a life skill everyone needs.
Encourage Them to Be Off Balance
Having a part-time job while being a college student is going to make your child feel off balance. Let them be off balance. Let them navigate these new situations that put them in circumstances where they don’t actually know what to do so they can figure it out.
Arrange Accommodations
Heather says getting accommodations in place is important. Things like extra test time or mental health support. Being proactive and sorting these things out before the college journey kicks off is a game-changer.
By nurturing independence, resilience, open communication, and problem-solving skills, parents can send their kids off to college with a solid toolkit.
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