As a parent it's important to keep communication open with your new freshman student. This booklet includes information about the risks, consequences and warning signs of alcohol, drug and tobacco use and what your role could look like in this next stage of your child's life.
It’s hard to believe that college is right around the corner for your student. You know that your worries and hopes for your child don’t stop when you drop them off on campus. You may think that your opportunity to have conversations with them about alcohol and other drugs or your influence over their decisions is coming to a close. But it doesn’t have to. We know that your influence as a parent continues, even when they’re not living under your roof.
The first six weeks away at college can be very important. This may be the first time that your new collegiate is exploring their new-found independence. They choose their friends, join campus activities and groups, and set the stage for how they will socialize on and off campus. They may experiment with drinking or put themselves in uncomfortable situations. Because of this, keeping the communication open with your new student during the first six weeks, and beyond, is crucial.
We’ve created this new resource, Off to College: Now What? that has week by week tips for how to continue important conversations with your child through the first six weeks of college and beyond. The booklet also contains additional resources you can check out as well as a quick tool to use that may help you identify when your student may need some additional help.
Flip through or download the booklet and gather ideas for how to encourage your new college student as they start on the next chapter of their life. You might even want to send to a friend who’s in the same place as you.
Best of luck!
P.S. If you’ve got more kiddos at home, you can start preparing them for life on their own by talking about these issues now. We’ve got great conversation cards that can help you with that.
