7 Things Your Kids Should Know Before Starting College!

The school year is quickly winding down to end and some of us will be busy attending elementary, middle and high school graduations. All these students moving up in grades have one thing in common, SUMMER! While some will be busy hitting the beach or the closest recreation center, others will be busy moving into dorm rooms and looking into their future college years. College is the time when you learn a lot about yourself, so it dawn on me, what I wish I would have known before I went to college!? Well, the answer is here, these are my 7 Things Your Kids Should Know Before Starting College teachable moments to share with your kids before college.

7 Things Your Kids Should Know Before Starting College:

My number one tip is learn to do your laundry. Yes, it is simple as that. Your laundry MUST be done at least every week or more often if you are running out of clothes. Learn about pre-treating stains, learn to separate colors & whites and learn to read those handy tags on your clothes. Yes, make sure that your new pretty blouse is machine washable or that cool sweater can be dry in the dryer. All these things are essential that first semester in college.

My number two tip is learn to clean your space. College years can be so much fun, us parents, aren’t around  telling them how to act and when to clean. Make sure your kids know that, they need to be responsible for keeping their space clean, it is part of growing up. From cleaning to dusting, create a schedule and things will go a little bit smoothly.

My number three tip is to teach them to be responsible for their finances and to avoid debt. Yes, we are going there. If your kids are moving to a different city, state or just across town, they are going to be responsible for paying rent, food and bills. Sit down and teach them about setting up a simple monthly budget that will help to prevent overspending and will make paying the bills much easier. It is important to make the point to ONLY use credit cards for emergencies, NOT for entertainment.

My number four tip is to learn to shop and prepare simple foods. Yes, parents, your kids should learn to shop and prepare their own meals. Hey, most college students cannot afford to eat out everyday, so they will be responsible for shopping and preparing meals and this doesn’t mean noodle meals or peanut butter & jelly sandwiches everyday. You should teach your kids to budget for meals that include fruits & veggies and hey, why not use coupons to save some money and help them stay on budget.

My number five tip is College is not easy, but it is doable. Understanding that college is not easy but it is doable is the first step in maturing and understanding that you are now an adult with responsibilities. Remember parents, you will not be around to tell them when to study, learning how to schedule study session will free your kids from having major headaches come finals time. The first semesters are a learning curve and if your kid is in need of switching majors, it is okay. They must find what’s going to make them happy and fulfill their hopes and dreams.

My number six tip is be information responsible. What does this mean? It means teach your kids to be responsible for what they put online. Social media updates and shares are searchable, you don’t want to have something that you wouldn’t share with your future spouse or boss living online.

My number seven tip is your professors are your friend. Professor are not your parents, but they are human beings and they can help you & advise you with College related issues. Parents, remember your college years, what was your best strategy on picking the right classes with the right professor? Teach your kids to reach out to those professors and see if their courses are the right fit for them.

College years is the time to find one’s self, most of us, come out of college having met our future spouse. If your kids are armed with the knowledge, they will come out on top and hopefully with a great paying job. 🙂 I would love to hear from you guys, what are some of the ways you are preparing your kids to be ready for those college years? Remember you can leave a comment in the comment section below.