Friday, August 28, 2009

How to say goodbye to your college freshman

So you thought saying goodbye to your toddler was difficult when you drop them off at preschool; try saying goodbye to your college freshmen as they begin new lives without you. Now that I've done it twice, once at Stanford and again at Claremont McKenna College, I'd like to share some tips to help you get through it.

Make a list of 3 things that you would like to do with your children before they leave. This starts the dialogue about creating memories together. Then, mark your calendars to ensure that you both make time to do these special things. You can do simple things like taking a walk in a favorite park, shopping for photo albums or frames, or having lunch at a local restaurant. If you'd like to create a more meaningful event to mark this time, go through old baby photos and put together a photo album of their lives. That way, if they get homesick, they can look through their photos. My daughters both wrote autobiographies during their senior year of high school to reflect on their first 18 years of life before they begin their new lives in college. I especially enjoyed helping them select and scan the photos. We now have keepsakes!

By spending time reflecting on their childhood and early teen years, it helped us come to terms with the next phase in their lives. They, too, appreciated the time we spent together remembering their first 18 years. I believe it paved the way for the close friendships I have with both of my daughters today. I talk to them every day; I think our relationship is stronger now that they've moved on.

7 comments:

  1. Great idea for a blog! I'm following from MBC www.youthfultips.blogspot.com :)

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  2. Thanks for the info. My 3rd son will be going off to college next year and he is one that wants to go away from home, so I will have to keep all of this in mind for before he leaves. See you on MBC under 100!!

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  3. Good and timely information! I have a recent HS grad and another starting his freshman year.

    Thanks for posting your link for me on MBC~
    Lisa @
    All That and a Box of Rocks

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  4. Thank you for the comments ladies! :) Look forward to connecting with you on MBC

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  5. I'm not looking forward to that! My son is 8 and daughter 18 months. ( I was with my stepson, though, :) )

    Found you on MBC
    Anne
    http://mommyhastowork.blogspot.com/

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  6. Hi, I am following you from MBC.

    http://livingsmartgirl.blogspot.com

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  7. Hi there, following you from MBC.

    Ali@ onechicmommy.com

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