What to Consider When Deciding How Often to Call Your College-Bound Child
When deciding how often to call your college-bound child, parents must consider the fact that teens already struggle with balancing autonomy and independence while maintaining a connected family relationship. Teenagers going off to college need to recognize their newfound freedom of exploration but still feel connected to those who deeply care about them.
Parents should start the conversation long before their teen departs for school, talking about expectations for connection and communication. As well as what it looks like when everyone adjusts to changes in communication gears (for example, Graduating from sharing toothbrush stories every night at 8pm, to having more serious adult conversations every few weeks).
Be sure you have a mutual understanding of topics that are off limits; this ca help create an atmosphere of trust and prevent overstepping boundaries. Speaking of which, let your college student have the ultimate say in how often they speak with you; after all, a one size fits all approach is rarely effective when addressing personal preferences and needs.
Also be mindful of any language you may accidentally use that could give off connotations of mom or dad being too intrusive or controlling – such as ordering or demanding phone check-ins. Approaches based on open dialogue are much more effective than ones built off fear instances like ‘you’d better talk to me everyday!’ This doesn’t mean it can’t be taken seriously though – simply replace those demands with gentle reminders or allowing room for discussion by starting conversations by asking how often they would like to call/message home instead.
Furthermore acknowledge their need for socialization outside of their relationship with mom & dad; these are crucial parts development – so kids shouldn’t feel guilty if they don’t have time (or don’t want) to communicate all the time. Offer potential suggestions – such as agreeing on weekly FaceTime calls – otherwise leave all decisions up your child, being flexible enough to allow them full control over the frequency level they prefer. As
The Pros and Cons of Calling Your College Student Too Often
Calling your college student too often can be beneficial and detrimental. When done right, it can serve to provide comfort, build trust and ensure your loved one is doing well. On the other hand, phone calls that are too frequent or intrusive can stifle independence and create parental anxiety for both parents and students. Here’s a look at some pros and cons of calling your college student.
Pros:
1. Staying Connected – Phone calls are an excellent way to stay connected with your child while they’re away at school. It gives both parties the opportunity to connect, ask questions and discuss topics that don’t arise in texts or emails.
2. Maintaining Openness – Conversations on the phone give you the opportunity to really explore how courses are going, what kind of social life they have on campus and more intimate thoughts; things that might not be shared in other correspondence.
3. Sense of Comfort – Calls can act as valuable reassurance of a continued connection between parent and child with regular “check-ins” acting as tangible encouragement from home which helps foster a sense of security in an unknown environment.
Cons:
1. Miscommunication – Difficult topics discussed over long-distance phone conversations may result in miscommunications since tone can be interpreted differently in person than over the phone for instance your tone may be lost or misunderstood when not coupled with body language or facial expressions making difficult conversations harder to conduct via call rather than face-to-face dialogue if the situation permits such discussion should happen face-to -face when possible instead
2. Intrusion – Calls too close together (or too far apart) could disrupt work productivity potentially interfering with studies during midterms etcetera; if during last minute cramming you experience unrequested incoming calls this could take away motivation causing frustration
3 Unhealthy Dependence– Too many calls could cause reliance on parents vs fostering independent
Establishing a Communication Plan for Your College Freshman
We can all relate to the tumultuous transition of college life. Whether you are an incoming freshman or a parent with a child entering their first year in college, it can be incredibly daunting to figure out how to maintain communication with your family and home during this seasonal change.
It is essential for both parties, parent and student alike, to set expectations regarding communication that should remain between them. Establishing such guidelines ensures that everyone’s needs are met while creating a respectful space in which the student can grow and flourish as they find independence away from their family. The following are tips on creating a successful plan of communication:
1) Establish ground rules for frequency & contact methods – Make sure both parties come together to decide ahead of time which forms of communication you will use (phone call vs text) as well as what kind of frequency you both feel engaged in or most comfortable with (weekly phone calls or daily check-ins). This can also help alleviate any worries from either party since it makes clear who initiates contact when.
2) Find time specifically dedicated for talking – As the semester goes on it will become more difficult for them to take long phone calls due to added academic commitments or ever-changing social circles. In place of these longer conversations, having set times outside regular activities, such as before classes start or after exams finish, allows for quality conversations held when neither party is feeling rushed.
3) Create platforms where memories/ advice stay alive – Creating separate albums on social media sites (Instagram), shared mobile folders (Dropbox), boards just accessible by certain people (Trello), etc., families and students can continue learning and laughing with each other even while physically miles apart! These outlets will make it easier during discussions beyond “How was the class?” to answer questions like “What was the best so far?”.
4) Remember that feelings & reactions change– With shifts in emotions
Tips for Keeping in Touch With Your Grown-Up Kid During College
When your kids go off to college, it’s natural to feel like you’ve lost touch with them. Between exams and new friends, your child’s life suddenly has a lot of moving parts—which can make it daunting for a parent on the outside looking in.
But staying close and involved from afar doesn’t have to be hard work. Here are some tips for keeping in contact with your grown-up kid during their college years:
1) Be Proactive about Your Communications: Even if you don’t hear often from them, don’t assume they’ve forgotten about you! Instead, be sure to reach out regularly via e-mail, text messages or weekly phone calls. This can help ensure that even in the midst of all the excitement on campus, your child still knows how much they mean to you.
2) Ask Interesting Questions: Put more thought into what you ask them–avoid needless inquiries like “How are classes going?” and instead show genuine interest in their life by asking specific follow ups. Consider questions such as “What did you learn today at class? What projects have been keeping you busy? What conversation topics interested you this weekend?” These types of questions demonstrate that your attention remains focused on their success and development away from home.
3) Suggest Quality Time Together: Plan occasional visits together or plan for virtual hangouts through Skype or Facetime when time allows! Especially if one of these happens when school is back in session , this can provide an excellent opportunity for spending quality time reconnecting (while also allowing parents to witness first-hand just how ambitious and successful their student is!)
4) Create Unique Mementos: Show interest with expressions of love through posters, pictures frames or novelty items featuring images associated with college life– like funny mugs related to certain university departments or humorous slippers appropriate suited for dorm room living! These small gestures
Creative Ways to Connect with Your Distant Teen
As parents of teens, navigating the challenges and opportunities of our children growing into adults can be difficult but rewarding. These years come with unique joys and frustrations as we try to stay connected with our kids while they transition into adulthood. Oftentimes, maintaining a strong connection with a teen can be difficult due to the often-busy lives (and minds) of both the parent and student.
Connecting with a distant teen is possible, and creative ways to keep these relationships going in a meaningful way may help bridge any physical distance involved. Here are some tips on connecting with your teen when physical or emotional detachment is present:
Create Shared Goals: Create shared goals.” This can include anything from taking on a household project together (such as gardening or decorating) to planning for future events like graduation or vacation trips. The goal-setting process will allow for meaningful conversations about needs, wants, hopes and ideas for the future.
Everyday Check-Ins: Scheduling quick check-ins – even if it’s only five minutes – every day allows for you both to touch base and make sure everything else in life is going okay (no matter if near or far apart). Use this time devotedly commit to daily exchanges — even just Skype calls, text messages or short emails — that let you know how each other is doing despite being miles away from one another.
Share Your Story: Finding out more about each other’s stories and experiences throughout life will not only help maintain current connections, but also create strong new bonds of understanding between one another. Swap stories during designated check-in times where you discuss more than “how was your day?” but delve into past events that have created who you both are at present day; this helps foster mutual respect given their ability to relate on different levels of life experience despite any differences in age.
Start Writing Letters Again: In addition to customized emails, write open letters back
FAQs About Connecting With a Busy Away-from-Home College Student
Q: How can I best stay in touch with a college student who seems too busy to answer my calls or respond to my texts?
A: Staying connected with your college student while they’re away at school can be difficult when communication is (seemingly) one-sided. We have compiled some tips and tricks on how best to navigate those challenges.
First, try to recognize their capacity for work, studying and social events – is it possible that their schedule is just overflowing? It’s important to remember that no matter how much of a priority you may think your relationship should be for them, school comes first for most college students.
The next step would be to communicate with the student directly – let them know that you understand the difficulty of hectic student life and offer up some insight into ways of communicating that might better serve both of you. For example, the occasional letter or care package makes an impactful impression without taking up too much time in return. A few scheduled videogame breaks or movie nights if possibe could make all the difference in keeping your bonds strong.
Above all else, it’s important to respect the choices made by your college student regarding their use of communication as often times they are aiming to keep a healthy balance between academics & personal relationships; if they don’t want someone calling them constantly throughout classes or exams don’t pressure them! Simply remembering that not all dialogue needs verbalized words lets us remain connected even while apart.
