Parent Information

The transition of moving away from home and experiencing the challenges of college life can be just as difficult on parents as it is on students. As parents, it can be tough and concerning when you see your student struggling. Knowing when to give your student space to learn from their own mistakes or when to step in can be confusing as a parent.

The goal is to express support while also helping your child become autonomous and independent. Below are a few tips on how you can express support to your student.

One of the ways you can support your student is by listening to them with an open mind before offering advice, opinions or correction. This can be a challenge as a parent to give your student time to figure things out on their own in our desire to prevent any potential hurt, disappointment or failure they may experience. It can help the student feel valued and understood when they are asked questions such as how they are feeling about the challenge, what they need from you as their parent and what it may look like to meet their needs.

Another way to support your student as a parent is to ask your student if and when they would like your input. It is natural for parents to want to step in and solve their student’s challenges for them. However, this does not give them the opportunity to learn and grow or improve their confidence in their ability to resolve challenges.

A question that parents can ask their student to help determine how much input to provide them is, “Would you like me to ask you some questions to help you think through this, or do you prefer to work through it on your own?” We can also ask questions like, “What have you tried?” or “What would you like to try next?” to help them in their resolution process.

If your student wants to work through the challenge on their own, you can say encouraging statements like, “I’m proud of you for working through this,” “I believe in you,” or “I am here if you need me.” Asking if they want your help and reminding your student that you believe in them can help foster their growth and independence.

Encouraging your student can be another way to support them. Some ways to express encouragement can be saying phrases like, “I knew you could do it,” “I knew you would figure it out,” or “I’m proud of you for working through this.” Statements like these, for challenges big or small, can help express our faith in them while also building their own confidence and resiliency. The more that parents can focus on growth and honoring every success their student makes, big or small, the more encouragement they give their students to navigate through their challenges.

It can be empowering for your student to learn and grow from their mistakes while knowing that you are available for support and encouragement along the way.

If you find that your student continues to struggle and you think that they would benefit from counseling, know that we are here to help. You can encourage your student to visit our office in Building 26, 2nd Floor where they can complete the paperwork and schedule an appointment. We offer short-term, solution-focused psychoeducational programs, individual, group and crisis counseling to traditional full-time, on-campus students. We also offer crisis appointments daily, and consultation appointments can be made the same day to same week depending on your student’s schedule and appointment availability.