When your child decides to take the plunge and continue their studies at university, it’s understandable to feel a bit conflicted as a parent. Of course, you are happy and excited for them as they continue onto the next stage of their educational journey, yet it also marks the end of their childhood for good and you must accept this and let them grow into the adult they are meant to be.
So, in amongst hiding the tears and putting on a brave face, what steps can you take to help your child prepare for university life?
Help them choose their university
As of August 2017, there were 106 universities and 5 university colleges in England alone. With such a wide variety of options available, it can be incredibly difficult to decide on the best option, which is why it’s important to let your child know that they can lean on you for support, assistance and guidance. When your son or daughter is in the process of choosing their university options, make sure that they go on open days, fully read through university admission guides, and compare course content to find the one that they like best.
Ensure entry requirements are met
While you can’t guarantee your child’s exam results or final grades, the simple fact is that they won’t be accepted onto the course if their final grades don’t meet the entry requirements. Of course, if your child has been lucky enough to receive an unconditional offer then things will be different, but most university offers are subject to specified conditions which need to be met to ensure a place. Help your child with exam preparation and revision, similarly, try your best to remind them of any important coursework or exam deadlines that are approaching to ensure they have the best chance possible of achieving the grades they need.
Teach them about managing their money
Although financial tasks can often seem to be more of a chore than a necessity, money management is something that everyone needs to know. Take the time to go through the basics of budgeting with your child before they head off to university. This is especially important when faced with a limited student income, rent to pay and course books to buy. There are also money-saving options and deals set up with students in mind that are well worth looking into, so do some research into things like student bank accounts and discount offers which could help save money.
Honesty and openness
Your child is most probably going to be feeling nervous and anxious as well as you – even if they’re better at hiding it! After all, moving away to university is a massive step to take as they will be leaving their family, friends and all the familiarity that is associated with your hometown. Some young adults will cope just fine with the change, but others will struggle and may need your support to settle into university life. The best thing to do is to follow their lead – provide a listening ear, shoulder to cry on, or simply give them the space they need to get stuck into the next chapter of their life. There’s no sugar-coating it – it will most probably be difficult, but it will all be worth it in the end!
Of course, the most important thing is that your child is happy, and this happiness should always come before anything else. Although it may be difficult now to let your son or daughter go, it won’t be long before you’re spilling happy tears and congratulating them as they graduate. I know it was hard for me initially but it was so worth it when my son graduated this year.
*Collaborative post
this is a long way off for me, but I do remember going through it all myself. I really enjoyed going to the open days
ReplyDeleteTime shoots by! Must be hard to think of them going off to uni, especially when you probably look at them and see your baby still. Some wonderful tips x
ReplyDeleteWhilst I don't have a child this is very informative and should be shared with parents of people who are going to university as it will help. Very informative post and I know a lot of parents will really appreciate this.
ReplyDeleteManaging money is one of the most important things and something I was not taught about before university x
ReplyDeleteThis is super important that they are both emotionally and as financially prepared as can be, Uni is a long time and a massive expense nowadays xx
ReplyDeleteMy eldest has just gone to uni and it was super stressful prior to him going making sure we had all the boxes ticked etc. This is a great post for those about to undergo it x
ReplyDeleteLearning to manage your money is such an important lesson to learn before uni - I wish I had been better at budgeting during my uni years x
ReplyDeleteI imagine there is a lot of forward planning needed, and that it comes all too fast. I also imagine lots of tears too. But such a lovely opportunity. Managing money has to be one of the top priorities when it comes to students, it can be a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteI still worry about Kian, we drilled into him the importance of getting a job but he just doesnt seem interested at the moment and I worry his money will be gone and very soon
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