@PamperThePets
Latest posts by Jane Warren (see all)
- Top 3 Reasons People Don’t Adopt A Black Dog or Cat - September 24, 2012
- Summer Fun: 5 Ways to Have the Best Family Vacations - April 22, 2012
- Best Internet Search Tips: How to Get the Results You Want - March 30, 2012
Doing so means you get exposure to thousands and thousands of other CommentLuv users and your posts get sent out to the massive subscriber list.
Google loves this site and indexes it multiple times per day and posts always get lots of comments so you can be sure of some excellent exposure.
See the Write For Us page for more details
btw.. you can get this author box here
Preparing Your Children for College: My Top Five “Get Ready for College” List:
I had a minor freak-out the summer before my daughter left for college. I had tried to teach her to be responsible. She knew how to do her laundry, cook a simple meal and clean the toilets. But had I taught her enough? What about grocery shopping, car maintenance, finances? I imagined a myriad of potential pitfalls and disasters awaiting her at college.
I vowed to spend that summer teaching her everything she needed to know in order to be prepared for going to college, in an eight-week crash course. She had other ideas, as you can imagine. An 18 year old is the smartest person on the planet — completely self-sufficient and full of confidence.
When I took her to college at the end of the summer, we visited a grocery store. I wanted to teach her about comparison shopping, how to shop the sales, and how to pick produce, but she whisked through the store, throwing boxes of macaroni and cheese and cold cereal into the cart.
A few months later, though, she called me, not quite so cocky. Taking care of oneself was turning out to be more difficult than she had planned. She had a list of questions, but the one I found the most entertaining was, “How do I buy bananas?”
She loves bananas, but couldn’t eat the large bunches that the store sold before they turned brown. I said, “Well, you know you can break off a couple of bananas from the bunch and just buy those, right?” This was a revelation to her and I learned something as well. As parents, we spend huge amounts of time and energy teaching our kids “the important things.” Turns out all that fretting was unnecessary. What they really need is a lesson in buying fruit!
Now my son has just gone to college. I’m not fretting about every little thing this time. I realize that I haven’t taught him everything he needs to know, and he’s going to do okay anyway. There are, of course, things he does need to know that only I can teach him.
My Top 5 “Prepare Your Child for College” list includes the following skills:
- Financial competency. Does your child know how to balance a bank account? More importantly, does he know how to differentiate between needs and wants, and have the self-discipline to do so? We’ve outlawed credit cards for our kids while they are in college. If you can’t afford to pay for it today, you can’t afford it, period.
- Basic housekeeping skills. Chances are, your child won’t keep the dorm room the way you’d like. Rudimentary skills, though, are necessary to keep a basic level of hygiene. Your child should know how to wash dishes, clean the bathroom and run a vacuum.
- Take care of clothing and teach them how to iron. My daughter’s roommate had never run a washing machine in her life. Taking care of clothing is one of the best ways to learn to appreciate them. And if they can iron, at least you have a chance that won’t always look like they slept in their clothes!
- Safety. Teach your child how to recognize and avoid situations that are unsafe and to trust that little feeling of doubt. If they feel uncomfortable in a situation, take immediate steps to get out of it. And encourage them to talk with local authorities – it may help someone else out later if others are aware of dangerous places and people.
- Food and cooking. Teach your child how to make basic meals and shop for healthy food. How to separate bananas at the grocery store is a useful skill.
Now your college-bound child may not be taking their dog or cat (or snake, turtle, fish, gerbil – you get the picture) with them, but if they do, or end up getting one while they are there, then they need to know how to take care of them. Mom & Dad are not around to pick up the slack anymore. We’ve learned that pets teach kids about responsibility and compassion, and that can be a good influence on their roommates or buddies. Teach them to buy basic supplies in bulk, like discount puppy pads. And they only have to go to the vet for the things they can’t do themselves, like annual shots and other treatments. Dogs love greenie dog chews, and that’s a cheap dog teeth cleaning idea that will save them money!
If you’re reading this two weeks before your child leaves for college, the boat has already left. Chances are, though, you’ve taught your child more than you think. As Roy L. Smith said, “We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.” Your college-bound child has likely learned many things simply by watching you.
About the Author:
Jane Warren offers practical tips for pet owners at her website www.PamperthePets.com. She provides product reviews and information on health topics related to all types of animals.
Twitter: Elena__Anne
Very interesting article and useful Jane, not only for mothers but also for children.
I am not a mom yet, but I am a daughter. I remember my mom, tried long before I go to college, to teach me those things, but I had not paid any attention. When I left home, I had no idea to do anything and it was difficult for me to make it. It would be much better if I had learned through the years, how to live as an independent individual.
elena_anne recently posted..Echinacea Benefits And Common Cold: How It Helps And What Are The Possible Side Effects
Twitter: PamperThePets
I know what you mean – I certainly learned a lot of basic things the hard way – still have some scars from kitchen burns to prove it!!
Twitter: PamperThePets
Hi Elena Anne:
I remember the same things – my Mom really didn’t teach me that much either! I relied on the dining hall for food so I didn’t have to grocery shop; and my roommate and I washed clothes together. Thankfully I knew to get to the library for quiet study time!
Thanks for your note,
Jane
Jane Warren recently posted..Greenies are the Healthiest, Tastiest Dog Treats on the Planet!
Twitter: postboxesuk
Financial competency. Not just a lesson for college but a lesson for life. And a lesson (subject), which should be taught to all children whilst they are still in school. Perhaps then the western world and respective governments wouldn’t be in such a mess.
A fantastic book which should be made compulsory reading is Rich Dad Poor Dad, that would take care of any child’s accounting capabilities. As for the other four points, that’s upbringing.
Chloe B recently posted..Post Boxes UK live!
Twitter: PamperThePets
Great recommendation, Chloe. I agree that knowing how to manage money is a life skill, and should be taught in the home if possible.
I’ve read Rich Dad Poor Dad – it’s a great book. I can also remember The Wealthy Barber and other books that had great tips for managing money.
Thanks for your comments.
Twitter: davesnape
Hi Jane, great post. I’m 43 now and I’m still figuring out things that I KNOW my mother knows how to do. Isn’t it funny how we NEVER stop learning or needing to learn.
The only thing I hate about my college days is the huge student learn burden that I am still paying off. On top of that I don’t work in the profession I trained for.
The education was good, but the debt is just plain ridiculous and makes it that much harder to live a decent life. If you could teach them how to avoid those problems, they will truly appreciate it one day!
david recently posted..Taxes: Do It Yourself Or Get An Accountant?
Twitter: PamperThePets
Thanks for your comment, David. I know what you mean about the tremendous debt that some students have to deal with after graduation. I hope that you are able to get that behind you soon.
Education is important, and statistics show that income levels are higher for college graduates. Hopefully it has made a difference in your career!
Twitter: danalingga
And I always thought that what is needed is only the money. It seems I was wrong there are many other things that we need prepare as parent.
Dana recently posted..Trading System, The Consideration Points to Buy It
Twitter: PamperThePets
Well, we could always use the money, but if we don’t know how to manage it – it will be quickly spent! I always hated to ask for it from my Dad, because he wanted to know what I had spend the money on, and I couldn’t tell him!
Thanks for your comment,
Jane
Jane Warren recently posted..Greenies are the Healthiest, Tastiest Dog Treats on the Planet!
I would like to add – Make friends with good people. Too many psychos around.
Andrew recently posted..Learning How To Lose Belly Fat Fast Is Easy With The Right Approach
Very useful article! It shocked me how much my step-sister didn’t know when she moved in with us for college. We treated her like a roommate, not a sibling, and she had to learn really fast how to care for herself. Also, I think its important that kids when they go off to college at least have a part time job (even if its working at the college in the library) to help understand the value of money and have that extra play money. It will help them better understand where it comes from.
Susan Bewley recently posted..How to Be Healthy in College
Twitter: byehighschool
I found financial competency and safety/awareness to be the things that most of the girls in my dorm lacked.
My step dad is big on his daughters being safe everywhere they go (he’s a Leo). And my mom is the biggest penny pincher I know. So naturally, I was already prepared with those things.
I found it interesting that the college friends I made would look to me for what to do in certain situations because of those “grown up” traits my parents had instilled in me.
Everything you listed is very important because the universities don’t always teach it. In fact, I know a lot of college graduates who aren’t financially mature enough to live on their own.
So thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and insight!
Nikki recently posted..[GIVEAWAY] Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card from ByeHighSchool.org!
Hi Jane,
Thanks for this great post but i must say there is really no ‘perfect’ way to prepare your child for college. there are things they will have to learn on their own, and as they make the discoveries, its up to us, their parents and guardians to guide them on what is right or wrong. on the Parent’s part though, no one is ever ready to finally let their child go, no matter how ‘prepared’ we may be.