For 18 years you see them every single day. And yes, there are days you’re probably sick and tired of tidying their rooms, nagging them to put things away and washing their dirty clothes. At times, you probably dream of the day the apron strings are cut and your children flee the nest to go off to university.
But the reality is that when the day comes, it’s often harder for Mum to see their “baby,” go than it is for the 18 year old heading off to enjoy a new adventure.
Here are a few tips for overcoming worries when your kids head off to University.
Visit the University with them on Open Days
Trekking around the country on various university open days can be difficult to manage. Travel, time off work and care for any younger children might mean it simply isn’t feasible for you to go along to them all. But for the universities your child is most keen on, if you can be there it will help. It gives you a chance to get to know the surroundings they’ll be in.
Get Involved in Choosing Accommodation
When your son or daughter has a final choice made and comes to choose accommodation, get involved in the decision. There’s nothing quite as worrying for a parent as imagining your child cooped up in a horrible, run down student house or halls of residence. There are so many student accommodation options now that you can probably cast aside any ideas of poor quality accommodation. Whether it’s a private rented house, university owned accommodation or private student accommodation through independent providers, your child will have lots of options. Do let them lead the choice, but by being involved in the process and researching the options, you can be reassured that they’re picking somewhere they’ll be comfortable.
Prepare them with Essential Skills
In the years ahead of them leaving home, it’s our job as parents to prepare them with the skills to help them later in life. And by ensuring they’re comfortable with money management, basic household tasks and cooking, you can feel better than they’ll be budgeting well, not living in squalor and managing to get nutritious meals from time to time. That offers surprising levels of reassurance.
By the time they’ve turned 18, you’ve already undoubtedly spent countless sleepless nights worrying about your children. And worrying when they leave home is nothing unusual or new. So accept that worrying is natural and it’s ok to feel sad when they leave.
