A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed for Fox Business News on ‘how to handle bad college roommates’ but I like for the discussion take a positive tack: how can you help your high school graduate son or daughter prepare for a successful first semester.
The interviewer Emily Driscoll was kind enough to give me the last word and it was this: “Having a sense for your own concerns and being able to express them, but also knowing that you don’t have to do it all and that you can get help is very important.”
The advice is true for anyone starting out in a new school or starting a new job, for that matter. Parents can help their children and their off-to-college, nearly grown young adult children by assuring and re-assuring them about the transition. As important as family support systems are – and we want our children to feel comfortable calling us, even from several states or half a world away – young people can and should take increasing responsibility for building their own network among friends and school staff. Parents’ encouragement regarding seeking help in difficult situations can make a big difference.
>http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/07/06/how-to-handle-bad-college-roommate/