Being a Parent: How to Help Your Child Cope with Stress at College
So, your child is going to college. That’s an important step that brings with it a lot of emotions and events. Students are always busy, especially in the first months of study. However, such a busy schedule also has its dark side, causing stress.
You took full care of your child at school, but that’s a transition to adulthood. No matter how much you want to, you must realize this and give them some freedom. But they still need your support and help. Below is how to participate in the child’s life during college and minimize the negative.
Parents play a crucial role in maintaining and improving self-esteem. Make them feel valued and supported. Be sure to make positive comments about your child’s achievements.
Why Is It Stressful?
First, students need to study a lot. The workload is higher than in school. There are many new subjects, including those in my specialty. You can’t be lazy because your future depends on it. About 70% of students admit they feel stressed because of the large number of assignments. Read in this review by John Milovich more about how to deal with it.
Social pressure is not far behind. Everyone around is literally shouting, “Be successful.” Many feel the need to stay afloat on social media, attend every event, and keep their grades good.
The third reason is the transition to independent living. Many issues, from organizing a schedule to financial matters, need to be solved independently. This is a challenge for many, especially those who leave home for the first time.
Collect Information
If your child doesn’t mind, start looking for a college. No, this does not mean making decisions instead. Simply list those suitable for the major, budget, location, etc. Consider all the criteria that are important to the student. Adding links to their websites and columns with essential information is excellent. Also, don’t forget about photos. It’s good to make a presentation so that the viewing experience is also positive.
How does it help? The child doesn’t waste time searching but already has everything at hand. All that remains is to look through the options and choose the right one. You can also collect information about:
- Courses and clubs. Most colleges have these, so ensure your student knows them. These include language clubs, hobby clubs, sports groups, and academic circles. Look for information on the official pages or in the student center.
- Activities and events. There are always exciting things happening on campus that students want to take advantage of. Find out about exhibitions, conferences, theme nights, and more. Be sure to consider your child’s interests when searching.
- Psychological support. It’ll help in difficult situations, so take care of it. Look at the reviews to see if and how the college develops a culture of mental health care.
- Career opportunities. It’s good if the school has a career center or internship programs. It’ll let you decide faster and try out different areas.
This will already significantly reduce stress and save time. Your child can spend it studying for exams or relaxing instead.
Encourage Socialization
Don’t be the parent who insists on constant learning and nothing else. Support your child and ensure that all their needs are met. They need to have quality rest and socialize with other people. In fact, communication is often even more important than lessons; it’s what moves us through life. Remind your children of this. During my student days, I wanted to pay to do my homework and have more time for myself. I think your children sometimes want the same thing.
Be Open to Communication
It’s good if you already have this type of connection. Keep it going by always being available to discuss problems and offer support. Your child definitely needs this during their student time. However, don’t force them to talk when they don’t want to; keep it friendly and comfortable. Plus, this way, you’ll always know if something is wrong. You can tell when someone is obviously stressed, burned out, or experiencing other negative emotions.
Reinforce Self-Esteem
Parents play a crucial role in maintaining and improving self-esteem. Make them feel valued and supported. Be sure to make positive comments about your child’s achievements. Even if it seems like small things like a standard project, do it. These things always stick in the mind.
Also, let them express their thoughts and opinions about academic achievements. Support in realizing their expertise and helping to develop analytical skills do more than you can imagine.
The third way is to stimulate your child’s interests. Encourage them to learn new subjects and participate in extracurricular activities. If they like to sing, draw, or do anything else but their major is unrelated, support them in these areas. Hobbies give motivation and meaning to move on. It takes time. They may say, “the idea of being able to hire someone to do my homework may seem tempting.” Be supportive because not all tasks are critical.
It’s also essential to allow your child to make and learn from mistakes. Instead of criticizing them for failures, provide support and learn together to find a way out of difficult situations. There’s enough criticism around; you don’t need to add to it.
Set the Right Example
Honestly, it’s the most effective way. You may have noticed this with people around us. Also, you shouldn’t forget about yourself while trying to help your child; it’s unhealthy.
If parents lead a healthy lifestyle, exercise, eat right, and get regular rest, it encourages children to maintain these habits. If you manage your time effectively, develop stress management skills, and find positive ways to overcome difficulties, it inspires them to do the same.
This also includes the open and positive communication we discussed above. When parents show interest in academic achievement and support in realizing dreams, you can go a long way.
In Conclusion
The main thing is to be there, but there should be no pressure because, during this period, students learn independence and separation. We recommend asking directly if children need help with something and how you can provide it. A good option is organizational issues, which take a lot of time, and moral support, which they definitely need. Occasionally, you can offer them the opportunity to delegate specific tasks to experts. The main thing is to find out, “Is studybay scam?” and go for it. That’s it; you’ll do your best, as will your kid.