The holiday season is here. Yay! And now parents, your college young adult is coming home for the holidays. This may be for the first time or the last time before they graduate. So, how do you make this holiday season enjoyable and start to build healthy adult relationships with your soon-to-be grad?
Before we even get started, I need you to understand that your young adult is used to a new sense of freedom. They are used to coming and going as they please and answering to no one. While you may be used to them being a homebody and telling you everything. So, before they even come home you need to have a talk with them about what the both of you expect from each other.
Don’t dictate what they can do because that will automatically create animosity.
Yes, they are your child but to grow healthy adult relationships with them please talk with them and tell them what you are expecting, and find out what they are expecting so you can work on a compromise together. (You wouldn’t want to be told what to do.)
Realize that you and your young adult are on two different wavelengths when it comes to being home for the holidays.
While you are thinking that they will be ready, willing, and able to hang out with you, you may find all they want to do is sleep. Think about it. They most likely have spent the last couple weeks staying up and cramming for their final exams. Now that they are home, they planning to relax. (Don’t look for them at the breakfast table, they are more likely to rise around noon.)
They may not be interested in doing the regular holiday visit routine.
Whereas you want to show them off to everyone (family and friends) they are probably planning to spend most of their time with their friends from high school to compare college experiences and gossip.
These are just a few things to keep in mind. With a little teamwork and communication, you can have a happy and healthy holiday visit.
Happy Holidays! (Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week? Boy, does time fly.)
ChaChanna
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