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August 27, 2007

Teens Entering College

Teens entering college is on many parents minds right now. For those with graduated high school seniors this culminates over a year (in some cases a lifetime) of planning and hoping all leading to the crescendo of the promotional walk to the diploma for many. Our kids are turning into adults and as adults they are typically clueless. In truth, most are planning that escape for summer prior to starting their new 4 (hahahaha) to 5 year trek through the halls of our nations universities. The patterns are all the same. Our children are focused on the summer but weary of August as they must leave the nest and comforts of home for the unknowns of freshman year somewhere in the USA or abroad.

June is the fun month when you think about it. Family and friends gather and congratulate the senior graduating class and parents host parties to mark a tremendous milestone in their Childs life and in some cases first time college experience for families. Not everyone goes to college nor needs to. Our children see all the attention placed on the event and then like it never happened they are off to party somewhere on the planet exciting or perhaps for some just a restful time at home doing absolutely nothing but responding to ad hoc calls from friends to go to here or there. What a life! Then you have the ambitious group that either has a friend or sibling already in college that knows it takes money to survive (translation have fun) while in college. So they comb the newspapers and internet for jobs that they can maximize their hours of fun in the sun and stashing the cash for the nine months of freshman year. I for one like this group the most! Having two kids in college ourselves this is the one that we see as the most rewarding. All too often unfortunately.

Most seniors headed to lands far away like adventures in Hawaii with companies that make this an annual event. Sorry Oahu but Waikiki is not a fun place for adults in June. Now our children face the music. In the final dog days of summer approaching that magical first day of college some prepare to move out of the house and into a dorm or Mikes Apartment (lucky ones). Not sure I would want my child in an Mikes Apartment the first year but thats me. They plan, they perfect and the text all their friends that they are excited to be leaving the house for nine months of fun and studying (Ha!) in college. As the day approaches and turns into reality it sets in. They get apprehensive and second guess everything internally. This is the most stress they have been through in their lives but outwardly they try not to show it. Not me they say! Keep an eye out this summer as we exit July and head into August. Be there for your son or daughter and just listen to them. Give them guidance from your past experience on this topic if you can but dont critique their expectations in a negative way. Frankly, we have seen too many children managed so tightly as they grow up through private or home schooling that they lack the social skills to manage adverse situations let alone the true diversity of life in general.

In closing, allow your children to fail, they might just succeed.

Irene has been servicing the Health and Wellness industry since graduating from Cal State Fullerton in 1982. Through her professional experiences in primarily the Physical Therapy field (presently working) she has gathered deep understandings on nutrition, exercise and overall healthy programs to share with her readers and clients of Planet Berry LLC. To learn more on Irene or Planet Berry please visit their corporate web site at http://www.planetberries.com or email at info@planetberries.com