Tips For Parents To Help Their College Bound Student Succeed

DETROIT (WWJ) - When should you have "The Talk" with your kids as they head off to college over the next couple of weeks? No, not about the birds and bees, but how life will change for parents and students once the kids go away to school.

While it can be a tough transition for students and parents, EMU Vice President for Student Well Being Ellen Gold says, don't expect the kids to come home every weekend.

"Don't come home for the first three to four weeks, create a sense of who you are - as a member of the campus community first, then if you want to go home and visit, that's fine. But parents who allow their students to come home every weekend - their students are missing out on a big part of what university life is all about," said Gold.

Gold says you can help your child succeed in college by encouraging them to put down the cell phone, get off the computer, and go out and meet people and make friends.

"That kind of caring conversation, should take place, not just in one sitting ... but over the course of a week or two, talk to them about what they think life is going to be like, how do they think it's going to be different."

And she says help your child set up a budget, and avoid applying for credit cards.