10 Must-Haves for the Dorm

If you’ve got a student heading off to college this fall, then you are probably elbows deep in lists and worries. But one thing you don’t need to stress about is what to pack for the dorm. I’ve got you! There’s a complete checklist of what to pack (and NOT pack) in my book Out to Sea: A Parents’ Survival

The Launch

A gentle reminder for parents who are struggling to let go…

‘Twas the night before move-in day…

‘Tis the season! You know…the one where parents of first time college students are both excited and terrified at the same time. Where we are thrilled they have the opportunity to grow their minds and attend institutions of higher learning, yet worry that they won’t know how to do their own laundry. Where we fuss about coordinating comforters and twin

Parents, don’t skip (orientation) class!

Last week I attended two college orientation experiences—the first one as a mom of a rising freshman and the second sitting on a panel of “seasoned” parents and college experts, offering advice to parents of incoming first year students. Why both, you ask? Well, the truth is I am a mom of an incoming freshman at one university and I

Life Skills: How to Organize Paperwork

As the days move closer to our daughter’s college move-in day, I start to get a little worried that we haven’t taught her all the life skills she’ll need when she’s off on her own. She can cook. She knows how to sort laundry. She seems to have a pulse on basic money management. So what are we missing? One

How to prevent “summer melt” for your high school graduate? Give ’em a nudge!

Many of you know I’m currently a mom of a high school senior. My “baby” will graduate in two weeks and head off to college in the fall. A few months ago, our high school sent out a notice about a program called Summer Nudging. It is sponsored by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education designed to help college-bound students

10 life skills to learn while you’re still in high school

Our blogs are usually written for parents, but today we’re changing gears and sharing some information useful for high school students. So parents, please share this post with your teens! Today’s guest blogger is Adam Valley. He’s a junior at St. John’s University and working toward a Global Business Leadership major and an Economics minor. Adam’s been on the college scene for nearly

School Supplies: Then and Now

As I walk through Target, I find myself drawn to the corner of the store. I wheel up to the big bins of Elmer’s Glue, number two pencils and fat, pink erasers. With more than a decade under my belt of participating in the ritual most moms know as school supply shopping day—the one where kids beg for Trapper Keepers