Going to college is one of the biggest steps in our kid’s lives. At each point along the way, from taking the SATs to filling out the Common App, from getting accepted to moving into the dorm, parents are there to provide encouragement and support.
Here are some of our very favorite Grown and Flown posts on the topics of high school and going to college. We have tackled some of the toughest parenting topics like sexual assault, mental health and stress on these pages. We have also looked at lighter moments like moving our kids to campus, dorm shopping and graduation gifts. We wish you the best of luck and please remember, we are here for you! Mary Dell and Lisa
Freshmen and Sophomores – High School
Ninth and tenth grades are about high school, about learning independence and finding interests. These are not the years to focus on going to college but to focus on high school Here’s how to make the most of these formative years:
Want to Help Your Kid In High School? One Teacher Shows How
An expert teacher shares her hard won advice on how parents can be supportive in helping their kids move towards independence. In a year-by-year guide of high school here is how to walk the line between helping your young teen and doing too much.
Dear Mom of High School Freshman
These are the dos and don’ts of 9th grade with a close look at course selection, friendships and some of the tough talks parents need to have with their kids once they firmly in high school.
Dear Mom of High School Sophomore
Tenth grade is still not the time to talk about going to college but instead a moment to look at time management, sleep, driving, PSAT and focusing on academics. Here is how parents can prepare for the two tough years ahead with advice about stress, managing a tough academic schedule and standardized tests.
Junior Year – High School
Going to college becomes very real to juniors who face one of the hardest school years. Here we explore how parents can help their teens through this challenging year.
12 Best Ways to Help Your Teen Through Junior Year
Junior year may be the toughest year in high school and here are some ways parents can help.
College Admission and Toxic Questions
Here are things that high school kids just don’t want to talk about.
Dear Mom of High School Junior
College Admissions: Don’t Go it Alone
College admissions is a long and lonely process, parents might do well to find a friend to share the experience.
Senior Year – High School
This is it, the final year with our children living at home. It’s easy to let time slip through your fingers with high school seniors who are so busy in the fall with school and college applications and, in the spring, with saying goodbye. Here is how to make this one of life’s most memorable years.
Why Letting Go Hurts: Knowing My Sons A Little Less
The single hardest thing about senior year is knowing that saying goodbye to our high school kids is upon us. If you have ever wondered why it hurts so much (we want them to go to college, after all) the answers are here.
Writing Your College Senior That Perfect Letter
You may never have written your teen a letter, but now it is time to start. Going to college is one of life’s biggest moments and here is one of the ways to tell your son or daughter just how much this means to you. It is awfully hard not to cry when saying goodbye to your college freshman but this letter will say it all.
Last Call List for Senior Year
365 days left until your teen moves out? Less? Here is what parents need to do during their teen’s senior year in high school, before it is too late.
National Decision Day and Next Steps
May 1 is National Decision Day and here is what that means.
Goodbye to the Family Dog
When going to college, kids leave their families and their beloved dogs behind.
Great Graduation Gift List
Looking for that perfect high school or college graduation gift. We have got you covered.
Freshman Year – College
You get your college freshman ready to go, manage the drop off and drive back to an emptier home. Freshman year in college is full of challenges. Whether you are figuring out what your kid needs for the dorm room, how to plan for family weekend in the fall or are just worried about your college freshman, here is the advice you need.
