"He's 6 hours away, and this is the first time he's very been away this long."
Mia Redrick's son Patrick left 6 weeks ago for school in Ohio. Redrick says when your kids go away to college it's not only an adjustment for them, it's one for parents too.
"I'm not with Patrick day to day. The best I can do is consult him about making great choices."
You'll always be the parent, but The Mom Strategist says you should be more of a consultant when your young adult leaves for college.
"A great example would be, Mom there's a party coming up this weekend, and he's told me about the school work that he has to do, and then me saying okay great, where exactly do you go to study or what time do you guys study? So that he can hear it and maybe if he hasn't thought about how he's gonna figure out his day, when he's going to accommodate studying and the partying, he gets a chance to think about it."
Something else for parents to think about, whether or not you're hovering.
Redrick says it's important to give your freshman some free space to enjoy the college experience.
"Look at whether or not your child is thriving. Are they making friends? Are they involving themselves in campus activities or not. Do they want to come home frequently? Are they calling every day? Are they texting you all the time?
Redrick says you may have to step back, and take your cues from them.
"Your child really needs to know that you believe they can do this because they can and they take that first confidence clue, from you."
