7 Things Your Teen Child Needs To Know Before Leaving For The University

That time of the year when your teen child is about to graduate high school, and is preparing for all the qualification exams to help him/her gain entrance into the university is absolutely a time to look forward to.

All the breathless anticipation over whether they will qualify, and if they qualify, will they get the admission out of the multitude of students hoping to get in too, or ‘God forbid’ will they have to try again the next year?

But when they do get in (and they will), how do you know if they are ready to go?

How can you as a parent let go at this crucial time –on some things, but not everything? How can you tell that your teen is prepared for the independence and freedom that comes with going to the university, plus what can you do to ensure they are really prepared?

Well, here’s a small checklist of what your kids need to know, before they go to live on their own in the university.

1. Self-Reliance:

If you are still helping your teen fix every little problem, it’s past the time to stop. Everyone wants to be self-reliant and competent, but their will be but there will be times when, for whatever reason, we need help.

You must groom your teen with the skill-set to speak up, ask for help and solve problems as he grows.

Maybe the math is too hard, or there’s an issue with a roommate; your child should be able to seek redress going to the appropriate authorities without you riding in on a white horse to save the day.

2. How To Travel Alone:

Before admission into the university, your teenager needs to be able to travel alone and be prepared to do so. Let’s say you accompany them on the first day of resumption, to help with their luggage.

At the end of the semester, they should be able to make their way home from the state where their university is based.

If they do need to fly to school, be sure they know what to do if there is a delay or they miss a flight, and if you are a gracious parent, and bought your teen a car, they should know how to change a tyre, get and use roadside assistance.

3. How To Be Safe And Healthy:

Campus safety and sexual assault are significant issues on university campuses.

Your teens can’t be prepared for everything, but they can be careful, mind their surroundings and therefore avoid potentially dangerous spots.

“Night Class’ or reading ‘Till Day Break’ are common terms in Nigerian universities, teach your teen to walk with others at night.

4. How To Do Laundry:

Even if you wanted to, you won’t be there in the university to help them with their laundry; and they most likely have to hand-wash on campus.

The key here is not to assume they know how. If you haven’t actually taught them and watched them do it, you have no clue.

So show them the ropes, make sure they leave for school with laundry detergent and watch them do the needful with it.

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5. How To Cook A Meal:

Not elaborate cooking, but your teen before university should know how to put a meal together with the foodstuffs you provide them with for the semester.

Basically if they find themselves alone in a kitchen, hungry and with no one else around, they should not have to starve or just rely on beverages and eating out all the time.

6. Money Management:

Make sure your teen kid already knows how to handle money before they actually are far away and in control of it. It will save you a lot of incessant calls from them over constant insufficient funds.

That means they can make and stick to a budget and can prioritize strategically, and will not be behind on their textbooks and lecture handouts having spent on other less important stuff.

7. Perseverance:

Most people never go through the university, without failing one course or another. Help them understand that, so they don’t end up feeling embarrassed or defeated.

Make sure they have the resilience to handle what gets thrown at them. Perseverance is a really great word–teach them that.

When you’re done with all that, just make sure they know how to call, text or snap home—and that they do!

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