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If there’s one thing that parents and their kids can agree on, it’s that preparing to go away to college can be an anxious time.  As the tail end of the baby boom generation send their kids away to college, increased academic competition and a faltering economy have led to even greater stress for entering college freshmen.  Fortunately, there are many things that you can do as a parent that’s mutually beneficial.

The modern American couple is having children later in life, and the size of the average family is declining.  While this can lead to parents who have the time and resources to prepare their children for academic success, it can also lead to anxiety from parents about “doing it right.”  Make sure that you don’t stifle your children with your expectations about what they’ll get out of their first year of college.  Even though you may be footing some (or all) of the bill, it’s still their life to lead.

According to Karen Levin Coburn, an assistant vice chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis, “Parents want their children to get into the most selective colleges … and are concerned that they get good grades and develop resumes of the perfect combination of extracurricular activities and summer internships.”  As a parent, finding the right balance can be a fantastic way to remain an integral part of your child’s lives while allowing them to flourish in their new environment.

College can be a time of changed expectations and greater self-reliance.  Prepare your student by discussing  the issues they may run into during their first term on campus.  The greater freedom that college affords can wreak havoc on those who are unprepared.  Whether it is budgeting or academic goals and expectations, any positive input can help put your student ahead of the curve.

As a parent, perhaps the biggest challenge that you will face is learning how to let go.  Though it may be difficult, you should understand that college students will often call their friends to share exciting news, while using their parents for reassurance in the face of disappointing news.  As college can serve as a transition from the sheltered world of living at home to the new challenges of the “real world,” you can help your child become independent by referring him or her to the appropriate campus resources, rather than being the all-purpose “problem solver” you’ve been in the past.

Rest assured, you will remain an integral part of your child’s life if you find the appropriate balance between “coaching” them and giving them more independence.  Just remember that they’re on an emotional roller coaster.   It won’t always be easy, but the challenges will help your college-bound student transition into a self-sufficient adult.