7 Life Skills Every Teen Should Know Before Graduating High School

Teens know “everything,” amiright? They can drive, serve as your personal IT consultant, make TikTok recipes, find a meme about anything, and thrift for amazing finds. But as your teen heads off to their post-high school life—whether it’s higher education, a gap year, work, travel, or volunteering—there are some life skills they should have. You won’t always be right there to handle everything for them. Even if they aced their AP exams, it doesn’t mean they have all the skills they need to live independently. Adulting is something they will aspire to, and in order to navigate life after graduation, they should have an understanding of these skills.

graduation, teens

Takeaways from Visiting My Sons at College

Some of you have entered a new season of life with a child off to college. We had our oldest attend Western Washington University in Bellingham and then our younger go out of state to University of Colorado. Both had great college experiences with a few growing pains along the way. We visited them at school a few times a year. I typically visited more often on my own than with my spouse due to his work schedule. Now that they have both graduated, I’d like to share some of the highlights I gleaned through the years.

college students, parenting

When Your College Kid Is Home for the Summer

The stacks of boxes and bins, bags of clothes and bedding, and random loose items like lamps and rolled-up posters can mean only one thing: your college kid just got home for summer break! While parents (and maybe the siblings) are thrilled to have all their chicks back in the nest for three months, there is a new family dynamic that will definitely take some getting used to. Your “child” has now experienced nine months of independent living, and any expectations that this summer will be like their high school summers may be quickly dashed.

college students, parenting, summer

Your Graduation Party Planning Guide

Do you have a kiddo graduating from high school or college soon? Congratulations! This is definitely something to celebrate—it’s a major milestone for you and your soon-to-be-grad. If you are considering throwing a graduation party but feel bogged down by the details, use our planning timeline and checklist. It will help you organize a fun event while keeping your frazzle-rating at a minimum.

graduation, parenting, party

Top Ten Dorm Room Must-Haves Beyond the Basics

My eldest child will be moving back to campus next month to start her sophomore year. Just over a year ago, we were up to our eyeballs in Pinterest and other websites with tips on what students need for their dorm rooms. First off, let me just say that, unless your kid is rooming with two friends and they have completely coordinated their color scheme and décor—or they’ve got a single room—there is no way their room will ever look like a Pinterest board!

A dorm room is going to be their home for nine months, so it should reflect their personality, be practical but comfortable, and not too cramped—a place they’ll sleep, study, eat, and socialize in. Most likely the university will provide the minimum: a bed, a desk, and a chair. Everything else is on you.

Here’s the “Top Ten” list of items that are beyond the basics (e.g., bedding).

College, college students

5 Things Your High School Grad Should Know Before Starting College

You blinked and it happened. Your baby grew up and is leaving for college in a few short weeks. Your child has accomplished so much already and so many exciting opportunities await. As a parent, you may be having mixed feelings about sending your child away to college to live on their own. In your heart, you know your child is ready, but it feels like it was just a moment ago that you were packing their lunch for kindergarten. Your kid will do great. Nevertheless, you can ease your mind by having open and honest conversations about a few key topics which will help your child thrive while away at school.

College, college students, graduation

My college student just returned home for the summer. How am I supposed to fit all of their dorm room belongings back into our home?

Before you bring everything back into your home, now is a good time to go through and assess what is really necessary and needed. Encourage your child to sort through their clothing. Was it worn during the year away? If not, now is a good time to let it go. Freshly launder all dorm bedding and then store and label in containers for the summer. Create a “College” storage container for items that will not be used during the summer, but are used during the school year, such as mugs, shower caddies, school supplies, etc. Larger items like dorm refrigerators, chairs and trunks can be easily stored and labeled out of the way in a garage or basement. Doing all this right as your child returns home will make the transition to pack up again at the end of summer all the easier!

dorm organizing, storage