How to parent a college freshman

Watch the classic video, above, of the talk Emory psychologist Marshall Duke gives to parents during freshman orientation.

“Nowadays, ‘going off to college’ isn’t just about a teenager leaving home. It’s also about parents learning to let go,” writes Jenna Johnson in the Washington Post.

“College administrators have found that today’s millennial students – along with their late-Baby Boomer and early-Generation X parents – often need more hand-holding than generations before.”

Johnson conducted an online chat on the topic today with Marshall Duke, an Emory psychology professor who, for 25 years, has delivered an annual lecture to parents of freshman about what to expect when they leave their child at college for the first time.

Regarding a question about move-in day at the dorm, Duke advised parents not to sweat the small stuff and to focus on communication.

“Saying goodbye is the most important thing of all in my mind,” he responded. “Do not take this lightly. This child starts college only once. The moment is a powerful one. It allows for the communication of very high sentiments. Do you want to waste it on things like, ‘Make your bed every day?’”

You can read the whole discussion here.

Related:
Parenting a college student: What to expect