College Parent Central

Coming Soon! The New College Parent Central Podcast

November 11, 2019November 14, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

A lot has been going on behind the scenes at College Parent Central in recent weeks. We’re busy preparing for a new adventure! That’s right, it’s a podcast.

Yep. We’re stepping into a new world and launching a podcast to share information with you in a new form. Hosts Vicki Nelson and Lynn Abrahams will be chatting about all things college parent in the new College Parent Central Podcast.

You don’t stop parenting the day you drop your student off to college on Move-in Day. Your role simply changes. (Actually, it’s not simple at all, but it changes.) You’re a parent for life. Join Lynn Abrahams and Vicki Nelson, higher education professionals and former college parents, as they explore the topics that can help you be a more effective and supportive parent to your college bound student. Whether you already have a child in college, college is still a year or more away, or your student is about to step out, start now to gather the information that empowers you to be an effective college success coach to your student.

We’ll cover some of the topics we’ve written about on the website, as well as some new ideas. We’ll be joined occasionally by some guests who can bring their expertise and perspective to share with you as well. We’ll help guide you through your parenting role as you prepare your student for college, support them during the college years, and help them step out into the world after college.

We’re excited and we hope you’ll want to join us on this adventure. It’s still a week away (look for our launch on November 20), but we wanted you to know it’s coming. Get your earbuds ready!

Related:

Who’s Behind College Parent Central?

Tread Lightly, But Be Present: Supporting Your Student Through the Stressful End of the Semester

November 9, 2019November 11, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

As the end of the semester nears, many college students feel their stress levels rise. Students realize how much work they still have left to do, and they realize that their time-management skills may not have served them well. They are overwhelmed, tired, possibly sick, and definitely nervous about the outcome.

As you begin to sense your student’s stress, your parental instincts kick in and you want to do everything you can to help. It’s a tricky time. It is important that you let your student know that you’re there for them, you’re ready to listen and offer an encouraging word, but your student needs to find ways of coping on their own. It’s part of the growth of independence and being a college student.

College parenting can be difficult. As parent, you need to tread lightly. It is difficult to step back and watch your student struggle, but sometimes all you can do is offer those encouraging words and a listening ear.

College Parent News & Views

October 29, 2019October 31, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

The more that college parents know and understand about the college experience, the less we worry and the better we will be able to help our students to succeed and thrive throughout their college career. However, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there on the web. We’d like to help you find some of the information that might be most interesting and useful to you as a college parent.

In News and Views we share recent college related news and sources we’ve found as we do our research. We hope that this feature will help to introduce you to new ideas and to help you keep up with some of the current issues that may affect your college student – and you.

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below – and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

Beyond Parents Weekend: Why College Parent Engagement Matters

October 6, 2019October 7, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

We are not advocating parent helicoptering. Engagement is not hovering.

College students need to practice their independence, make their own decisions, take responsibility for their education, and begin to lay the foundation for their future. But when you drop your student off on Move-in Day, your parenting job doesn’t end – it simply changes. (Actually, it’s not simple, but it changes.) When your student graduates from college, your parenting job doesn’t end – it changes once again. You are a parent for life.

However, there’s a difference between checking in with your student and checking up on your student. That can be the difference between helicoptering and engagement.

Why are parents so involved?

Throughout most of our student’s school years, the messaging has been that parental involvement correlates with success. We’ve been told we need to partner with the school to support our students and to send them the message that their education matters. Students are used to us being involved – and many, perhaps the majority, want it to continue. Why should we believe that things will change when those same students head to college?

But it does change. Parental engagement on the college level needs to look different.

College Parent News and Views

September 29, 2019September 30, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below – and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

College Parent News and Views

October 4, 2019August 31, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below – and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

Internet Gaming and College Students

Screentime of all kinds can be a problem. Note how much time your college student spends on video games and determine whether you need to talk to them about it.

How Practicing Kindness Can Enhance Your Teen’s Wellbeing

We could probably all use a little bit of this. Share the idea with your student.

Michelle Obama Gets Real with College Freshmen: Eat Veggies, Don’t Blow Financial Aid on ‘Bad Shoes & Nice Nails’

This contains essential advice for all students to consider. That first semester can be hard.

Should You Live On or Off Campus?

This is an important decision and can have a major effect on success. But each student is different and will have different needs. Consider this choice carefully.

Want to Help Your Kid in High School? One Teacher Shows How

We all want to help our students make the most of high school and college years. Here are some great suggestions.

Six Essential Campus Resources: Hints for Wise Students

Many students know what campus resources are available, but they don’t take advantage of them. Make sure your student acts wisely.

Should College Students Have Credit Cards?

The answer to this question will be different for different families, but this is definitely a conversation you and your student should have.

Don’t Be Silent – Preventing and Standing Up to Bullying in College

Share this with your college student.

Conquering 13 Common College Freshmen Fears

Talk to your student about these. It helps to know you’re not alone. And then talk about 1 thing that your student can do to combat each of these fears.

Leaving My Pet Behind

Sometimes we forget how important these bonds can be.

Find these articles from around the web interesting and useful? Sign up for our mailing list (below) and receive a new list in your inbox each month. The more you know, the more you can help your student.

Addressing College Freshman Fears Requires Action

October 4, 2019August 27, 2019 by Vicki Nelson

A recent article by Kelci Lynn Lucier on Thought.com about Conquering 13 Common College Freshmen Fears points out some of the insecurities many new college students feel. We recommend the article as it helps students understand and combat some of the questions that may be in their minds.

We’d like to build on this good article and suggest some additional actions that students can take, as well as consider the parent perspective. Knowing how to talk to your student about their concerns will arm you to help.

Sometimes the best approach to addressing any challenge may be simply doing one thing – taking at least a single small step. It can overcome potential paralysis when students don’t know where to begin.

I was admitted by accident.

Many students share this fear – that the college made a mistake when they sent that coveted acceptance letter. Remind your student that there are likely students all around them that feel exactly the same way – and that it is a perfectly normal feeling. Reassure them that this was not a mistake.

Parenting Students with Learning Differences – Dealing with our Own Anxiety

August 27, 2019August 8, 2019 by Lynn Abrahams

This is the third article by College Parent Central contributor Dr. Lynn Abrahams. Lynn specializes in college transition and success for students with learning differences.

Julie Lythcott-Haims, in her book How to Raise an Adult (2015), reports that American parents are depressed at twice the rate of the general population. There is no question about it, parenting can be stressful, challenging, and anxiety provoking.

As parents of students with learning differences, we have watched our kids navigate years of school experience. We have been with them through neuro-psych testing, diagnosis, meeting with teachers and special educators. We have shared both the success stories and the brick walls with them. As their parents, we know more than anyone else where the pitfalls could be. This is probably why our own anxiety can swell to explosion when they take that leap to go to college. In fact, it is possible that we could be even more anxious than they are!

I speak as both a parent and as a learning disability specialist, who has worked with college students for the past 30 years, when I say that we need to find healthy strategies to deal with our own anxiety. We will not be able to be supportive to our students if we don’t take care of ourselves first.

There is a reason airline personnel instruct us to put the oxygen mask on ourselves before helping others – if we run out of oxygen we are of no use to anyone else.