7 things to know before sending your kid to college.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
There are many odds and ends to see to when sending your child away to college. It will be their first time away and independent of you, and that can be worrisome. Here are a few things you can do to set your mind at ease.
Go over life skills
While you may have done your best to instill a positive skillset in your child, there are a few things they may not have absorbed. Take the summer to brush up on those life skills they may not have needed—such as transit situations, coin laundry logistics, and basic tasks that require some understanding of how things work, such as working with essential appliances. These small tips will come in handy.
Establish legal precedent for emergencies
No one wants to think of their child in an emergency, but it may happen. Being prepared for it is the best way to avoid unnecessary complications. For example, when your child goes away to school, they are responsible for their medical care. This is all fine and good when things go according to plan, but they are an adult in the eyes of the law.
If something were to happen to your child that incapacitated them, you might need a court order to make even the smallest decisions for them. Having a power of attorney in place, with a health care proxy in case of emergency is a good way to avoid this.
Discuss grades and other expectations
Having a plan for how your child will excel in classes can work to your benefit. It need not be overly rigorous if that’s not part of your parenting style. Some to approach this are more associated with trouble-shooting. If they get a bad grade, it’s not the end of the world. How can they make it better?
Another way to keep them on the upper end of the grading spectrum is to ensure that they have the tutoring skills they need. The best ACT tutoring online also helps them to build the scholastic skills they need and helps them to break down a problem into manageable parts.
Visit the DMV and other places
They may be going away to school, but it’s important that they know how to drive and have a license to do so. This is also practical in terms of getting a job, in which a driver’s license will be more readily accepted before a student identification card. Another piece of identification they should have is a passport. Make sure they have it or that theirs is up to date before sending them off to school.
And lastly, make sure they understanding all the small features that their bank can offer. They may have had a bank account, but only used it as a place to deposit their checks from working. It’s important that they know the fee schedule and other features of a bank account before they leave the nest.
Passwords
This is a tricky subject since privacy is important. However, you may want to have them write a list of passwords to important accounts. They can seal this up in an envelope and request that it not be opened, except in an emergency. This is to keep them safe, not so you can snoop. Then, you can put it away in the place where you keep emergency contacts and other information.
Set a few rules about budgeting
No, they don’t know how much anything costs. That doesn’t mean that they can’t use and spend money properly, within the constraints of a budget. While there may be a few “oops” moments, you can largely preclude any major issues by going over the basics of budgeting and setting a limit on what they can spend as far as your money is concerned. You cannot preclude them from getting a job, even if you would, and understanding that money is an exchange of value for their time is important, especially when dealing with the less obvious budget of their energy.
Give them a dorm maintenance kit
While they may love cool lights and posters, a little care package that will come in handy is a dorm maintenance kit. This has all the small, often neglected, items that get overlooked in the move. For instance, shower shoes and a caddy with their favorite soaps, fabric softener, and detergent along with coins for the laundry, a small repair kit and a flashlight for emergencies, and even cleaning supplies for the dorm room are all appreciated.
You don’t need to treat them like they’re babies in order for them to always be your babies. Making sure they’re prepared and, more importantly, you are prepared can be a bonding experience. It’s also a chance to make sure they have a great time at school.