There are many milestones in your children's lives that seem to impact you more than them. It is difficult to see your children grow up and become more independent when you have been so used to taking care of them their whole lives. From their first day of Kindergarten, when they let go of your hand and get on the bus, you start to feel a little separated from them. Fast forward to when you bring them to college and help them move into their dorm room. This is their first time living away from home and their first time with so much independence. You are proud of them and scared for them all at the same time.
Thanks to the smart head they have on their shoulders they make it through college successfully and move into their first apartment. They sign a lease and are paying rent on their own. They found a great job that they love and are living the young, single life in a new city. You have to admit you are a little jealous of their carefree, independent life, but still proud of them for growing into such a mature adult. Although you trust them and know they are responsible, naturally you still have reservations. After all, you are their parent. You worry about things such as their safety, their health, and not seeing them as often as things like friends, girl or boyfriends, and jobs pull them away. There are a few things that you, as a parent of a newly independent young professional, can do to make this situation smoother for both you and your child.
1. Get to know your child's new city. Do a little research to familiarize yourself with the area, what the city is known for, stay updated on current events, and understand the geographical layout. This will make it easier to relate to your child when he or she talks about their new home. Thanks to the internet, you can do a few quick searches to find out this information.
2. Make a point to visit your child. You probably ache for them to come home for a visit so you can feel comfortable all under the same roof again and can make them a home cooked meal, but they would also love the opportunity to show off their new home. If they are close enough, you can take a train or drive in for the weekend. Let you son or daughter be your unofficial tour guide, giving them a chance to show off everything they love about their new home and how well they have settled in. Seeing where your child lives, both their apartment and city, will make you feel more comfortable about their independence and home security.
3. Have a home alarm system installed in your child's apartment. A good home security system should have a strong motion detector, picking up the slightest movement that is out of the ordinary. If your child has a pet, you do not have to worry about it accidentally setting off your alarm, because a good one should be pet sensitive. With a good home alarm, as soon as a person enters your house it will sound. Immediately, the alarm specialists will be notified and will call your child, asking them to identify themselves with their individual pin number. If they do not answer, or the person who answers does not know the pin number, the alarm specialists will dispatch the proper authorities. With a home security system installed, you and your child can both sleep better at night.
4. Set up a weekly telephone date to get into the habit of regularly keeping in touch. With today's technology it is easy to send text messages and e-mails everyday, but it is just not the same as hearing each other's voice. Choose a time when you are both usually free, such as Sunday evening. This will ensure that you stay up to date on each other's lives.
Thanks to the smart head they have on their shoulders they make it through college successfully and move into their first apartment. They sign a lease and are paying rent on their own. They found a great job that they love and are living the young, single life in a new city. You have to admit you are a little jealous of their carefree, independent life, but still proud of them for growing into such a mature adult. Although you trust them and know they are responsible, naturally you still have reservations. After all, you are their parent. You worry about things such as their safety, their health, and not seeing them as often as things like friends, girl or boyfriends, and jobs pull them away. There are a few things that you, as a parent of a newly independent young professional, can do to make this situation smoother for both you and your child.
1. Get to know your child's new city. Do a little research to familiarize yourself with the area, what the city is known for, stay updated on current events, and understand the geographical layout. This will make it easier to relate to your child when he or she talks about their new home. Thanks to the internet, you can do a few quick searches to find out this information.
2. Make a point to visit your child. You probably ache for them to come home for a visit so you can feel comfortable all under the same roof again and can make them a home cooked meal, but they would also love the opportunity to show off their new home. If they are close enough, you can take a train or drive in for the weekend. Let you son or daughter be your unofficial tour guide, giving them a chance to show off everything they love about their new home and how well they have settled in. Seeing where your child lives, both their apartment and city, will make you feel more comfortable about their independence and home security.
3. Have a home alarm system installed in your child's apartment. A good home security system should have a strong motion detector, picking up the slightest movement that is out of the ordinary. If your child has a pet, you do not have to worry about it accidentally setting off your alarm, because a good one should be pet sensitive. With a good home alarm, as soon as a person enters your house it will sound. Immediately, the alarm specialists will be notified and will call your child, asking them to identify themselves with their individual pin number. If they do not answer, or the person who answers does not know the pin number, the alarm specialists will dispatch the proper authorities. With a home security system installed, you and your child can both sleep better at night.
4. Set up a weekly telephone date to get into the habit of regularly keeping in touch. With today's technology it is easy to send text messages and e-mails everyday, but it is just not the same as hearing each other's voice. Choose a time when you are both usually free, such as Sunday evening. This will ensure that you stay up to date on each other's lives.
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