The Parent-Child College Contract: A declaration of In(ter)dependence
Who sets the boundaries? In our contract, parents and students both do
As the parent of an aspiring college student, I promise to:
1. Offer help and support in the application process...
but not micromanage or impose myself when told to back off.
2. Spell out our family budgetary constraints from the get-go...
but expect to work together in looking for financial aid, so you'll learn how to do so on your own, down the line.
3. Listen and advise, via phone or E-mail, when problems arise...
and at the same time encourage you to find your own solutions, enlisting resources on campus.
As the aspiring college student, I promise to:
1. Try to answer your questions with more than one-word responses...
while expecting you to understand when I can't, because I'm too anxious or busy, and a discussion at that moment will turn into an argument neither of us wants.
2. Listen to your input, because I value your perspective even if I don't agree...
and hope you'll keep offering help, even if I keep saying no, because I like knowing you care.
3. Stay in touch with phone calls and E-mails and visits home...
all with the understanding that college isn't high school anymore.
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