The Very Best Advice from Current Parents to Incoming Parents

"Offer lots of love and support; a small number of questions; and give advice only when asked (and with the full understanding that your advice may be rejected)."

"Remember, you are a guest in your student's residence hall."

"Let them struggle with their own problems before intervening."

"Discuss a budget before they go!"

"Discourage them from coming home on the weekends during the 1st or 2nd quarter. They need to be on campus on weekends to fit in and socialize and become familiar with campus life. Also, an activity like a sport or club helps tremendously."

"Let them decide what they want to bring, how they want their room set up, etc. Give opinions only when asked! Allow them to be independent from the start. I found that the fewer suggestions I made, the better. Emailing was a great way to communicate!"

"No child tires of hearing that his parents are proud of him - for whatever reason."

"We found it was cheaper to get a cell phone with long distance in the plan than to get other long distance options. Plus there's the additional benefit of having a phone when driving to and from campus."

"We found we needed to adjust our expectations with regard to communication. What works for us is to have our student call us on Sunday evening at her convenience. Email works well in-between."

"Be considerate with what you bring for the room - remember, there is a roommate and they should share the space equally."

"The son or daughter that you leave in Cincinnati in September will not be the same person that returns to you in June. The growth curve is about as great as it was between birth and one year - so expect great changes."

"Take special care of the siblings left at home. They miss their brother/sister as much as you do so be kind to them and don't dump the missing child's responsibilities on the one that remains."

"Try to treat your student like an adult now - especially when you're on campus! Good luck!"

"Email. Get pre-paid phone cards. Send Wal-Mart and Target gift cards."

"Don't panic when they call home scared and lonely.  They will get over it!"

"Communicate a lot. Use email, letters. Send hometown news, football scores, other news. Let your kid know what you know about the friends they left. Everyone likes mail."

"I think the most important thing is to be patient and let them know you are always there for them no matter what. I also think it is good to send things like food and snail mail so that your child has something in their mailbox occasionally."

"Expect lots of phone calls. Anticipate "ups" and "downs." Be prepared to hear "the classes are too hard!" Then, after about six weeks, relax. They do settle in. In terms of the dorm room, the closets are roomier than the dressers so bring lots of hangers. Also, a sturdy stand or table to use for computer equipment that won't fit on the desk is helpful."