If you’re like many moms out there, then you’re likely feeling very emotional over the idea of sending your kids to college. However, you can feel better about having them out in the world by following these college preparation for kids tips that will help them be successful in their college journey.
Teach Them To Stay Safe in College
While you’ll teach your kids many lessons about independent living, the first advice you should present is how to always stay safe in a college environment. As soon as you think they’re ready, start teaching your kids how to use critical thinking skills as they go about their day, both with what’s seen and read online and situations they may encounter in person. Teach them that it’s okay to ask questions if something doesn’t make sense and that they don’t need to do something if they believe it’s wrong. There are a lot of opinions on college campuses, and your child needs to know how to think for themselves and not just go along with the crowd.
You should teach your children many other safety skills and scenarios, including how to respond to different emergencies on a college campus. Do they know who to call in the case of an injury or if they see a classmate in trouble? How about how to act during a natural disaster? Do they know how to learn the evacuation plan at the school so they can safely escape during a fire or that they should head to the basement in case of a tornado? Teach your kids about how to react to disasters that can occur where they are attending college.
It’s also necessary to teach the kids safety skills for when they’re out and about on campus, such as using the crosswalk and not jaywalking and what to do if they get lost. You can also teach them some basic first aid, including how to take care of minor skin issues like cuts and bug bites and what to do if they see someone who’s choking.
Discuss Finances and Saving Money in College
Since your college students will need to manage their own money and will likely be living on limited funds, it’s essential to teach them about finances during freshman year and beyond. For instance, you should teach them about the importance of budgeting and how to compare their incoming funds to what they pay every month. Have them follow the 50:30:20 rule, where they set aside 50 percent for necessities, 30 percent for entertainment, and 20 percent for savings in the case of an emergency.
It’s also essential to teach them about managing credit and future debt. When living in college on a limited budget, it can be easy to be tempted by the use of credit cards, but you must teach your teens to use them responsibly. While using and paying off credit cards can help build a solid credit score, failure to pay and high-interest rates can mean disaster down the road. Along those lines, teach them about being responsible with their student loans. In most cases, they’ll need to start making payments upon graduation, so it’s necessary not to build up a lot of debt before that point.
You can also teach your college-aged children how to save money, such as canceling unneeded subscriptions and shopping at thrift stores. Also, instead of going out to the dorm cafeteria or eating at restaurants every night, you can teach your kids how to buy ingredients at the supermarket and cook them at home. They don’t need to become gourmet chefs, but you can teach them the basics, like how to weigh and measure ingredients, follow recipes, make soup and salad, and safely cook meats. If they have a passion for cooking, they can keep learning from there.
Concerns When Using a Car for College
You’ll factor many considerations into the decision when it comes to helping your teen select the right college, including if it’s near enough to commute back and how safe the campus is. Whether they are commuting or you want them to avoid potentially dangerous public transportation, buying a car may be in the cards.
You can teach your kids about how to be smart when buying their first car, and they can use those lessons when it comes time to make other large purchases. Again, your kids will want to look at their finances and the payment amount they can realistically afford.
Show them how you talk to the dealer about making a down payment so the payments are more affordable. Tell them about how a typical down payment is 10 percent, which, for example, would represent $2,000 of a $20,000 car. Also, educate them on the difference between buying and leasing, where buying is how you get it outright and leasing is like renting and any damage caused to the car as they drive it could cost them later.
This is also an excellent time to teach your kids car safety, including how to maintain the car so it doesn’t have an issue on the road and how to drive without distractions. Since they will likely make friends at college, warn them about having too many people in the car at once, which can also cause a distraction.
Time Management for College Success
Finally, teach your kid a few lessons about time management so they can properly balance school responsibilities and complete their tasks so they can graduate on time. Advise them on using a calendar to determine which tasks they need to prepare for next and how to break up large tasks into easier bits, so the overall project isn’t as stressful. Then, teach them to modify their methods as life at school evolves and changes.
These are just some of the many necessary tasks that you should teach your college-aged children so they can be prepared and thrive in their independent lives. Teach these skills now, and you can prepare your teens for a lifetime of success in college and beyond.
