Tips for New Parents September 2007 Adjusting to college life is just as
trying on parents as it is for students who are usually leaving home for the
first time. We took some notes from a presentation given by Laura
Majovski, Vice President of Student Life and created a few handy checklists to
help with your own transition.
Transition tips for Parents
Trust in your work so far
Coach your student rather than try to control their college career
Support your student’s successes and failures equally
Support your student by...
Affirming their potential
Listening, listening, listening
Sending packages
Keeping your perspective
Keeping your humor
Praising his/her accomplishments
Deciding how you’ll stay in contact
Encouraging your student to read mail
Keeping up the connections
Cheering for them constantly
Avoid...
Offering too much advice
Trying to solve their problems
Second guessing their judgments
Supervising their decisions or activities too closely
Early indicators of poor adjustment...
Calling home or going home frequently
Indecisiveness about goals or courses
Skipping classes
Difficulty keeping up with coursework
What can you do if your student shows signs of poor adjustment?
Remember there is a wide range of behaviors that are normal and
acceptable in response to these challenges
Consistent, caring communication will gain your student’s
respectful attention
Ask about what is going on in ways that communicate interest
without seeming critical or intrusive.
Successful PLU students typically...
Befriend their own questions
Draw on available resources
Develop perspectives on the world
Learn how to learn
Consider their future - careers/grad school
Ask “big enough questions”
Have priorities for the world
Successful grads typically are...
Ready to live as free human beings, citizens in the world
Full of courage, imagination, and hope
Called to a vocation on behalf of the world
Many of the tips listed above were from the following recommended source
material for parents of college students.
Parent eNews is a monthly publication by Pacific Lutheran University. All questions and concerns regarding parent matters can be directed to parents@plu.edu
