College is a big step in your child’s life, as they learn to live alone and make their own choices. Since you won’t be holding their hand the whole time, it’s important to teach the skills that they need so the transition is not so overwhelming.
Your student should learn to manage time properly, as you won’t be there to remind them about essays and projects. It’s also important to ensure that they drive responsibly to avoid any major accidents. You’ll also want to make sure they learn to cook well, instead of trying to survive on fast food.
Discover the six things you should teach before college:
Managing Time at College
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The number of projects students need to hand in during college is massive, and knowing how to juggle study time with a social life is an important skill. Your child should learn to schedule a time to study every day instead of getting desperate and pulling all-nighters to finish essays or prepare for tests.
Coping When Sick
It’s not uncommon for new college students to get sick in their first year. As they live together in close quarters and share drinks all the time, catching mononucleosis or intestinal flu is a possibility. If your child gets sick, they should know to rest well, eat healthily, and stay up-to-date with vaccines.
Creating a Monthly Budget
College is a great time to experience life, but with all the parties, trips, and shopping, the money can quickly dwindle. Teaching your kid to budget properly will help them avoid getting into debt and, consequently, calling you at the end of the month, asking for cash to pay the bills.
Understanding Student Loans and Scholarships
It’s a good idea to talk with your child about ways to fund a college education. An amazing student might fit the criteria to receive a scholarship and study for free. But your child also should understand the ins and outs of student loans, and that it’s possible to refinance the debt to get lower interest rates.
Driving Responsibly
The last thing you want is to have a kid who’s driving recklessly around campus — it’s dangerous for everyone. Apart from respecting the speed limits and wearing a seat belt, your child should understand the consequences of drunken driving, such as going to jail or being involved in an accident that could injure or kill someone.
Cooking Healthy Meals
It’s essential to teach your child how to cook healthy meals if you don’t want them surviving on pizzas and noodles every day. Your student doesn’t need to become a master chef, but knowing how to prepare nutritious dishes, even simple ones, could ensure he’s always in good health, which can improve productivity and focus.
Parents want their kids to succeed in college, but they also understand the challenges their young students will face. You won’t be able to teach your child everything, but if you make sure that they learn the basics, so they have the foundation to grow and create their own path.
Looking at some of my friends who bring themselves to school to exhaustion, I still can not understand whether they are right. And whether assessments at the university really reflect our success in the future. Looking at many subjects taught in my university, I still can not understand how and where I can apply them in the future.
Once your children achieve that stage, it might be progressively difficult to take a few to get back some composure of them, since they’ll be wrapped up in a radical new scholarly setting and social life and might live far from home.
Monthly budget is always an essential lesson – i would also add that as a parent you don’t give in too easy and give them extra money when your child goes over budget. Always better your child to learn by their mistakes!