Common Worries for Parents When Sending Their Children to College

Common Worries for Parents When Sending Their Children to College

Letting go of your child can be a difficult thought. Parents worry about their children going to college and facing hardships along the way, such as loneliness or worrying about them going to parties.

Seeing your kids grow up and leaving home is not easy for any parent. Of course, we are all immensely proud when a child succeeds in life, builds dreams, and pursues higher education. Yet, that moment of saying goodbye is hard. Your baby leaves home to start an independent adult life at last. Many fears and concerns go through a parent’s mind when thinking about their child’s college life. It’s okay to worry. Below are the three main worries most parents have. Though, it’s possible to deal with them if you try. 

• Partying too much

The number one common worry among most parents is learning about their kid partying way too much. Partying, in their minds, always means drug and alcohol abuse. Those two factors can also lead to fights, assaults, and casual sexual encounters. Overall, partying can be full of dangers.

Well, while there will be parties, it doesn’t mean your child will attend them or act irresponsibly there. Of course, some kids, especially those who face many limitations at home, can get overwhelmed by the absolute freedom of college life. However, as long as your child knows the dangers of such a lifestyle and has strong motivation to study well, they will escape the dark path. 

• Falling behind in school

Colleges are not the same as high school. In college, no one is interested in your success other than you and you are the one responsible for your grades. Sometimes, this new life and increased responsibility can be too much. Lots of new classes and tons of homework make them question everything. They may struggle with staying on a deadline. Wasting time, wondering, how they can become a writer or thinking too much about what to write about instead of getting on with the actual writing. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do here but show them your support.

• Depression and mental health disorders

It is no secret that young people of current generations are inclined to suffer from depression and other mental health disorders. Letting your child go and not being able to check on them often can be difficult. It’s easy to conceal depression or anxiety during irregular phone calls or video chats. School, a new environment, and being alone without family and old friends can all trigger mental health issues. 

One thing you can do is check on them regularly. See what they post online. Make sure they stay social and active. Ask how they are doing in school. Maybe you can even help once in a while. For example, give them tips on choosing a good topic for the assigned paper, or recommend online courses on their specialty. Overall, be there for them so they can feel your support.

The bottom line – Sending your children to college

As a parent, you know perfectly well that you will never stop worrying about your children. Yet, with years, you just learn to trust more and let go of your fears. After all, you worked hard to teach them everything you believe children should know to survive out there in the world. You did a good job. So have some faith, both in yourself and your children. College life will surely be a challenge for your kids at first. Yet, it can also be a beautiful period of a new friendship, exciting learning, and career opportunities. So, be happy for your children and support them in their journey.

Guest Article.