From the book, "How to Raise an Adult" by Julie Lythcott-Haims, dean of freshman and undergraduate advising at Stanford University, FPD Director of College Counseling, Brad Thompson, gives his perspective on Lythcott-Haims's list of things every 18-year-old should know before they head off to college.
With every goal, one must prepare to reach it, focus on it, and then follow through. As the school year starts, here are some tips to keeping your student on task to help him or her reach the goal of school success:
With the swipe of a finger or the push of a button we have instant entertainment and gratification. However, because of this, our creative outlets, ideas, and patience have been kicked to the curb. Let’s find our inner child and teach our kids some creative outlets.
But dear parents, keep asking. Keep talking. Keep eating meals with them even if those meals are in silence. Keep telling them that you love them and you are there for them and it is an honor to be their parent. Respect their decision to tell you things when they are ready, but show them by your consistency that you are eager to listen. You’ll find that when they need you, they’ll come.
The fourth goal children try to achieve after contact, power, and protection, is withdrawal. It is important to require your child to participate at meals and with the family, but it is also important to give them healthy space as they seek to find their own way.
Oftentimes, labor, diligence, perseverance, discipline, and even pain and suffering are tools God uses to teach us obedience and to perfect us as children of the kingdom.
You know the axiom that says, “Whatever can go wrong, will.” Sometimes parenting can be just like this. Despite our best efforts and our good intentions, one thing after the other goes wrong. What do you do?
Young children have a great capacity to observe, investigate, question, and formulate explanations. Providing them opportunities to develop and practice these skills is important to students’ overall development and has significant impact on their later lives.
