Collaborative Post
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that your child has started (or is about to start) their first year at University. Whilst this might be a scary thought knowing the child you’ve raised and housed for their whole life up until this point is starting an independent life, there are plenty of things that you can do to assist and support them for their first (and subsequent) years at University.
Teach them how to cook
This is a big one, you’d be surprised at the number of students that turn up to university with no knowledge of how to cook, some can’t even operate an oven properly.
Whilst you still have them at home, it would be wise to go over some cooking basics and simple recipes to get them started in the kitchen if they currently aren’t too familiar with it. A little help goes a long way.
Make sure they have a comfortable home
Leaving home is difficult and for some students, it can lead to poor mental health. This is why it’s very important that parents who can help their children find suitable accommodation do so. We’re not saying go along to every house viewing with them and their housemates, but more so looking to see if the accommodation they picked is right for them. For example, there are plenty of options for student housing with plenty of amenities in Sheffield, but there are also plenty that aren’t suitable for student living.
So if you want to help them with their housing, let them know what questions to ask on flat/house viewings, and also what to be aware of from landlords in terms of red flags (free stuff like speakers and TVs are often used to lure students into choosing a sub-par housing provider).
Help them manage their money
It’s a big one at university, self-funded living. Whilst a lot of students are comfortable controlling their own finances in terms of incoming and outgoing costs, there are a lot who don’t really know what to do with their money. Did you know students don’t pay council tax? A lot of students aren’t aware of that or even that they’ll have to start paying it when they leave university to live on their own.
Having an honest conversation with your child about where they intend to get their finances from, be it a loan, job, or even money from you, will help them manage their money a lot better than without. It’s often the case that students who haven’t discussed money with their parents beforehand end up in financial difficulties and stay there as they do not know how to get out of them.
Keep in touch
Finally we have our last tip to help support your child at university. It can be a tricky balance both trying to be there for them but also not being overbearing. This is a time in your child’s life when they’ll be experiencing independence properly for the first time, and they’ll also start maturing into an adult. You’ll find over this time that the nature of your relationship with them will change, letting your child grow up is part of life.
Keeping in touch is difficult but you’ll soon get to the stage where they want to call you or text you with life updates. Maintaining a healthy dialogue that gives your child space to grow as a person and explore who they are whilst also letting them know that you are still there to help them is the main goal.
Maintaining a healthy dialogue that gives your child space to grow as a person and explore who they are whilst also letting them know that you are still there to help them is the main goal, so try out some of these tips. Most of all, don’t worry if it’s not perfect immediately! University years are the best part of your kids’ lives, but it takes some time to get used to the new way of life. Not just for students, but for parents, too.