It’s so hard to believe that March is almost over! But for this Mom, it’s means her college student will be home for the Summer soon. While it has only been a few weeks since he went back after Spring break, it seems like it has been forever since I have seen him in person(thank goodness for Skype!). I know that he is enjoying being at college but he also loves his bed and home-cooked meals. With that said, here are some ways to set boundaries when your college student is home.
But I know that is hard for him to be here because it means he has to account for his time at home. At school, he could go to bed when he wanted to, get up what he wanted to, study when he was ready to. He didn’t have Mom and Dad monitoring his down time, and didn’t have to hear “did you clean up your room yet”? 
So then he comes home, and Mom has certain, uh, rules that he has to live by. You know, clean up the dishes, put the laundry IN the hamper, and no staying up all hours playing video games because the old Mom needs her sleep. Kind of boring, eh? Yeah I agree. So how do you get around it? Here are some easy ways to set boundaries when your college student is home.
When Your College Student Is Home : Tips For Setting Boundaries
- Step back a moment. Remember how awesome you felt when you were finally away from your parents? Remember that feeling and give your child the benefit of the doubt. It is never easy for parents to step away and let their child live their own life. Makes you feel like you are no longer needed. But that is the way it should be.
- Be clear with your expectations. After they come home and enjoy a good night’s sleep in their bed, take a few moments to cover a few expectations. If you want them to unload and reload the dishwasher? Tell them. Same things goes for starting their laundry. By having clear direction, you can avoid a lot of unpleasantness. One of our hard & non-negotiable rule is that you text when you reach your destination, and you text when you are on your way home.
- Trust your parenting. Chances are, the lessons you shared with them while growing up follow them off to school. When they are home, trust that they are able to make the same sound decisions. At the same time, make sure you remind them that no matter what, they can call you for any situation that arises. It is never okay to drink and drive, and if they find themselves in a situation like that, I would rather go pick them up and not have to get a phone call that something happened to them.
- Let them have some fun. They have been working hard during the semester, let them relax and have fun. It will make life much happier when your college student is home. My oldest is really good about this, and I hope that he continues on this trend. He may be almost 21, but he will always be my baby and I will always worry about him!
Every parent loves when their college student is home. It makes for a complete family, and it just feels right. So enjoy the time with your student before they are off and running again.
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