Home from College – Your Child’s First Visit Back

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Before your college student comes home, decide how you want to spend your summer together. Avoid any unnecessary tension between you both by using these tips.

Welcoming your child home from college is a joyous occasion. You’ve missed each other, but all that time away can cause a shift in your dynamic. Before she walks through the door, decide how you want your summer spent together to go. Parents – use these tips to welcome your children back home from college – and enjoy a pleasant summer break for both of you!

Empathize And Practice Patience

College is stressful. It has fun moments, but the overall experience can take a lot out of your child. She’s just spent months trying to adapt to a new way of life, a world of academia, and the challenges of being away from home. If she’s a little closed off when she comes home from college, don’t take it personally.

She likely needs a little time to breathe and reset herself. Practice patience and remind her that you’re ready to listen whenever she wants to talk. Try to avoid bombarding her with questions or invitations to events and trips out of the house. When she’s ready to chat with you, she will! 

Don’t Let the Mess In

If you both used to bump heads about chores before she went off to college, you might run into this roadblock again once she returns. Don’t let things unimportant things like unwashed dishes or laundry get in the way of your bonding time.

Remember, you only have a little time before she goes back to school. Set a schedule for when you need specific tasks accomplished, and try to avoid giving constant reminders. Propose this idea as soon as she gets home to set a precedent of how you want the summer to go.

If you can outsource certain chores, then do so. Consider having your laundry picked up from professional laundry services to make the summer feel like a vacation for you both. With one less chore to worry about, you carve out extra time in your schedule to spend together.

Remember That She’s Tasted Independence 

After being away from home for so long, your college student has gotten a taste of independence. She has likely made a habit of staying out late, sleeping in, or coming and going as she pleases. Falling back into family routines might feel restrictive.

Remind yourself of her new-found independence. Adult students don’t have your rules in mind back on campus, so gradually try to assimilate them back into old patterns. At the same time, open your mind to let up the reigns some.

On specific rules where you two tend to bump heads, try and reach a compromise. See things from your daughter’s point of view and explain your side with equal respect. If you treat your college students like adults, they’ll be more open with you!

Consider these tips for welcoming home your college student as you prepare to welcome your daughter home this summer. It might take a while before you two get back into the swing of things, but there’s nothing stronger than the bond between mother and daughter!