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Suggestions for Enhancing Your Relationships with Your College Student
As a parent or guardian, your support, guidance and direction have assisted your student’s
acceptance into a top-ranked public institution. For many parents and guardians, raising a
child is one of their most significant investments. As a parent, you have helped your student
successfully navigate the educational process, resulting in their enrollment at Clemson.
Sending a child to college often creates a variety of emotions for parents. Much literature
exists to help, but we would suggest you simply do what you have done to ensure the success
of your student up to this point. The following are five beneficial tips to aid a successful
transition from high school to college.
1. Ride the Emotional Roller Coaster and Practice Soft Skills
The next few years will seem like a roller coaster for you. There will be ups and downs, twists
and possible mistakes made along the way. Your student will need your patience, a listening
ear and a healthy dose of empathy. You know your student better than anyone. Listen to them
and allow them to solve their own problems themselves. Trust you have done a great job
raising them. Remember this is their time to shine!
2. Promote Autonomy
Your natural inclination is going to be to solve everything for them in the next few years. We
urge you to not do this. They need to handle their own problems. Realize you will likely see and
talk less to your student. Wait for them to reach out — they will do so when and if it is needed.
This distance does not mean anything is wrong, it simply means they are becoming more
independent and becoming their own decision makers. Encourage them to utilize the
numerous campus resources, especially the free ones — the Academic Success Center, writing
centers, Counseling and Psychological Services, student organizations — and remember the
Clemson Parents website also offers many resources. Good parenting is learning to let go, and
everything up to this point has been about letting go. You created good boundaries for them,
and they will be successful because of the experiences you fostered.
3. Embrace Your Own Changes
Simply because you sent your child to Clemson does not mean you will not worry and share
concerns for them. Your worry does not go away — you will worry about their safety, what
they are doing and who they are hanging out with. When experiencing such feelings, remind
yourself there are hard-working, dedicated staff and faculty to help them. You will never
stop being their parent, but you can and should begin reframing that relationship. Work to
find the appropriate balance. Now is the time to think about yourself and what changes this
transition brings for you. One note — if this is your second student, it is likely easier, but do