Hi - I am Shawn Hall, publisher of Greensboro - High Point - Jamestown Macaroni KID and owner of All Roads Education. Education is my passion and through All Roads Education, my passion meets purpose. After all the streamers are put away, the honor cords and graduation pictures placed on the mantle with care, parents begin to turn their attention towards what we really have been working towards; college, move-in, and lifelong success and growth. If you are like me, this has been a time filled with eggs, but also immense Joy and Pride. As we prepare to send our kids to college, here are a few tips you need to know before they go.:
- You are no longer the all-knowing authority so permission must be sought! I know this is such a jar in part because you have not had to ask for anything but now you do and your child has the ability to say yay or nay, sort of. Make sure you complete the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affectionately known as FERPA. This single document can be a lifesaver as it gives you access to your child’s grades, and educational records, and allows for advocacy amongst college faculty administration. It may be found online, with the registrar, or it may be sent directly to your child‘s school email address. Take note your child will have to complete this as well, and in many instances provide a passcode for you to utilize. It is wise to have a number of people with FERPA access in case your child is not as comfortable as you would think sharing certain information with you. FERPA can be revoked at any time by your child and without your consent. That may be a little unsettling, however, you still have the ultimate trump card, finances. If you are providing your tax information or you are paying for college, this is a conversation you definitely want to have with your student to remind them you need to have access at all times to any and everything that pertains to them during their college years.
- If your child is 18, they ARE an adult in the eyes of everyone (except you). Make sure you scope out all of the new medical professionals they may need in their new home away from home. Although it is common for students to come home on a regular basis for appointments, there may be occasions where they are not able to do so and you want to be prepared for that. You may want to entertain giving them a copy of their insurance card, their own birth certificate, immunization, and shot record, and any insurance you purchase for them in regard to electronics or renters insurance for their items in the dorm room that are not insured through the university (which is everything).
- Communication is paramount and is a two-way street. With my third child headed off to college this month, I realize more than ever the purpose of these calls is not to recreate the Spanish Inquisition but to allow your child to know and see you are their continued safe space, and they can always come to you about any and everything. Communication becomes superior during this time. If you feel like there is a need to have a heavier conversation, definitely schedule that without the entire family being present and again keep it short.
It may feel like this is the big goodbye but instead of the doom and gloom premise, see this as the big hello! Hello, independence. Hello, adulthood. Hello to becoming the person you always envisioned them to be. These next few years will fly by. Do not blink and savor every moment of this extension of their childhood. Oh, and by the way, if you have children preparing for college and you need a little boost to get them ready, reach out, and let’s connect!
Shawn~
www.AllRoadsEducation.com - Meet Shawn Hall
