| Month |
Typical Feelings |
How You Can Help |
| September |
- Some big realizations - post-secondary is tough and your child will likely need to buckle down a little more than they thought
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- Research some time management tips and be prepared to offer suggestions if your child asks how you would handle researching and writing that big essay
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- Homesick - your child is probably missing your homecooked meals by now!
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- Start thinking about Thanksgiving plans; or speak to your child about the next time they may be thinking of coming home
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- Excited - your child is meeting new friends and has started to make some new connections
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- Allow your child to talk about the new friends he or she has met
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- Students love getting mail! Send them a litlte note to let them know you're thinking about them
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| October |
- Nervous - midterms are coming up and this will be the first time your son or daughter have experienced this type of exam
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- Support your child if he or she is having troubles juggling multiple projects, deadlines and exams - they may feel very stressed ... give them some breathing room if needed
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- Changing friendships - your son or daughter is likely to grow apart from their high school best friend ... which may cause some anxiety
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- Comfort your child that he or she will still be able to see high school buds
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| November |
- More exams? Really? Your student is probably feeling pretty worn out ... the first half of the school year is almost done!
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- Reassure your child that anxiousness over exams is very common - they are doing great and you're very proud of him or her!
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- Lots of projects and papers due
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- This may be the perfect time to send a care package
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- Financial stress - money may be running out faster than they anticipated
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| December |
- Your child will be very busy preparing for final exams ... and likely very stressed!
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- Keep them focused on the positives
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- May start to wonder if all of this time and effort is really worth it ... they may be wondering if they'll be able to make it through the two to four years of schooling
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- Ask if there's anything you can do to help. Remind them that a post-secondary education will pay off in the long run!
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| January |
- Probably a little blue ... days are still short, they have just come back from a nice break, only to realize they are only half way through the school year
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- If they haven't already done so, encourage them to join a student group or play on an intramural team
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- Starting to think about summer
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- Get them thinking about summer employment - help them brainstorm possible options that will help them with their future career
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- Receiving first term grades
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- Help to share their joy (or sadness) once Fall term marks come out
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| February |
- Starting to think about a specialization (if currently in General Studies)
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- Help them work through their options for specializing - if you have any friends that are curretnly working in their desired industry, get them connected for an informational interview
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| March |
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- Let them know you miss them, but try not to show your disappointment if their summer employment plans take them away from home
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- Pressure of final exams mounts
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| April |
- While stress may be at an all-time high, excitement is startinig to form that they made it through their first year!
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- Let them know how proud of them you are for sticking with the schooling ... show empathy that you understand how difficult getting a post-secondary education can be
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- May feel a bit of anxiety leaving their new friends and wondering if summer employment plans will work out
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