By communicating and compromising together, your family can have a happy household this summer.
The First Summer Home
To make the most of your student’s time at home this summer, take a look at these top topics, identified by University Parent:
Curfew. Your college student is used to a new college lifestyle where curfews do not exist. There may have been nights where your student stayed up late with friends or stayed up late studying. Work with your student to agree on a curfew that works for both of you — a time that won’t keep you up at night worrying.
Chores. During the first year, your student didn’t have someone telling them when to make the bed or tidy up. If you find your student’s room and habits are not up to standards during the summer, work with them to set clear expectations about what it means to live with the family but also be sensitive to the new found independence and lifestyle your student has created. Be clear with your student about what you expect from them. One of the “house rules” might be that everyone contributes to running the household in some way. Decide as a family what those roles look like.
Sharing Space. College is known to make college students into night owls. If your student blasts music or movies at 1 a.m., ask them to plug in their headphones after a certain hour. This way your student doesn’t feel pressured to go to bed and the family can have a good night sleep. Discuss expectations about sharing space, and keeping noise at a comfortable level.
Friends. Seeing old friends and missing new ones at college can take an emotional toll on your student. If they constantly have friends over or seem to always be on their phone, work with them to establish nights where their friends can come over and when they cannot. This will allow for them to feel like they still have a social life, and give you a chance to designate certain nights for family time. If they are navigating challenging relationships, be there to talk things through with your student, if they want to.
Elon opens later in the fall than most other institutions; so consider what that last month looks like when many of their other friends might be going back to college three weeks before they do. For some, Elon will start to feel more like home than home does; this means that your student is well adjusted to college and is establishing their own identity.
Academics and internships. Your student may be stressing about their first-year grades, academic requirements, and a feeling that they should be “doing more” (comparing themselves to their Elon peers and friends at other institutions). Encourage them to do their best, make the most out of their summer (being sure to take time to rest and rejuvenate), and let them know that they have your support along the way.
Sleep. When they first arrive home, your student may just want to catch up on sleep in a comfortable, familiar setting. Letting them relax before plunging into the next few weeks of reunions throughout the summer could do them some real good.
If your student is not returning home for the summer this time around, consider the following ideas to help them feel connected to you and home from afar:
- Google Hangout, FaceTime, or Skype them with all the family around;
- Send them a care package with some of their favorite goodies, especially those from their home;
- Write them letters and/or cards to open on different days throughout the summer.
With any issues that arise, communication is the key. Before starting an argument, work with your student to solve the issue before it becomes a larger problem. No matter what comes up during the summer, you’ll be able to make the most of your time together by lending a listening ear, a supportive shoulder, and a caring heart.
Below is some advice shared by parents on the Parents Council:
“It takes a couple of weeks for students to adjust after returning home from college. Have patience with them during this time.” Mary P’19
“Establish ‘house rules’ for the summer. Talk about expectations, curfew, meals, laundry, and schedules.” – Anne P’18
“Discuss the summer prior to the actual move home. Our emotions are sensitive with the stress of moving home, so discussing expectations ahead of time is the key to sanity!” – Jill P’21
“Don’t assume that the old ‘house rules’ are still foremost in your students minds. Discuss the rules that are still most important to you, but expect to change the goal posts from when they left home.” – Carolyn P’21
“Be prepared for a lot of ‘stuff’ to come home, and have a place to put it. A storage unit is a wonderful thing.” – Nina P’18
“Establish mutual deadlines and encourage independence.” – Annie P’20
“Make sure your child stays involved over the summer! They will get more out of the Elon Experience if they maintain their activities and passions.” – Kim P’21