No matter where your child is in their college journey, sending them back to school can be challenging for any parent. You might wish you had more time with them, or you might be happy they are going back to their studies and friends. However, you likely want the best for your child, and one way of ensuring they receive that is by helping them get a few essentials to make their semester easier.
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Financial Resources to Get Them Through
It’s a common stereotype that college students are poor, but the stereotype is often there for a reason. Even if your student has a job, they may be working for minimum wage, and their expenses may eat into their income. You can set them up for success by helping them out with some of their college expenses. One option is to take out a private parent loan. The rates are often low enough to make them quite affordable, and they can be put toward your child’s tuition balance.
Tools to Deal with Anxiety
Everyone feels anxious from time to time, and college is stressful for many people. Even though this is often one of the best times of your child’s life, there is a lot more stress than in everyday life. Your child may be dealing with balancing a job, friends, academics, and roommates, and this can lead to burnout. Consider providing a few tools to help them deal with anxiety and stress. Anxiety rings, stress balls, and weighted blankets can all be comforting. Of course, if your child is dealing with serious mental health concerns, it’s important for them to see a mental health professional. Many schools have counseling centers on campus to make it easy for students to get the help they need.
A Coffee Machine
Many college students spend too much money buying coffee. While your child may find caffeine a necessary part of their morning routine, that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. A good coffee machine and a few bags of coffee will allow your child to make it right in their dorm, so they don’t have to buy it.
Legal Forms Once Your Child is 18
When your student turns 18, they legally become an adult, and you no longer have access to important information, like academic and medical information. If there was a medical emergency, you might be legally restricted from learning from the doctor what was going on. If your child is incapacitated, you would not be able to make medical decisions for them. Consider working with an attorney to set up the necessary legal forms to give you access to their healthcare, financial, and academic information.
This does not allow you to override your child’s decisions once they are an adult, but if you don’t get these forms in place, your state could appoint another guardian other than you. Work with your child’s school to ensure you will have access to their academic information. If your child is concerned about sharing this information with you, explain to them how you will use it.
