Gary Pollard Insurance Group Blog
As you watch your children grow into young adults, provide guidance and keep them safe with our Texas Life Insurance!
8/2/2011 8:40:00 AM
As the summer winds down, it is time to prepare for school, and even enter a new chapter in life. For incoming freshman in college, it can be difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle and separation from family. Homesickness is a common occurrence for young adults, but there are ways to overcome this and enjoy life to the fullest.
According to My Fox Houston, leaving home can cause anxiety for kids and parents alike. However, there are two methods that can reduce fears: a sense of independence and a vote of confidence. “Kids need opportunities to take care of themselves, and parents have gotten a lot worse at that over the years,” says Bob Ditter, a child and family therapist in Boston. A big part of separation anxiety is wondering, “How am I going to be successful?”
To boost your child’s confidence and minimize homesickness, Peg Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association, suggests these six steps:
1. Practice separations throughout the year
2. Teach independence
Tell your child that you liked the way she handled a conflict or how she approached the salesperson for help. She may not see those moves as accomplishments if you don’t acknowledge them.
3. Involve them in decision-making
Giving your child choices will help her feel that she has some control over what happens to her while she’s away. “You have to be open-minded,” says Smith. “We are not our children, and they aren’t us. It’s part of learning how to make decisions.”
4. Minimize surprises
Part of homesickness is being unfamiliar with your surroundings, so the more information your child has about logistics, the easier her transition will be.
5. Avoid making an escape plan
The minute you tell your child she doesn’t have to stay if she’s unhappy, you’ve prepared her to be unhappy. Instead, if your child calls you weeping and begging to come home, listen to her, but then move past the anxiety.
6. Don’t wig out
Severe homesickness is very rare, according to Smith, so the unhappiness you’re hearing probably doesn’t characterize your child’s entire experience. Keep reflecting your confidence that she’ll have a great time.
It is difficult to let go and watch your child become an adult. However, the rewards of seeing your child happy and successful are invaluable. Here at Gary Pollard Insurance Group, we encourage you to create lifelong memories and experience life to the fullest with our Texas life insurance!
Planning for the future can be difficult, but our agency is committed to helping you every step of the way. You should be able to spend more time enjoying life, not pouring over life insurance fact sheets. That is why our dedicated team understands Texas’ market and regulations and can find your right plan, which could include: Term life insurance, whole life insurance, and term/whole life combined. Determining the appropriate type of life insurance can become a difficult task. So let us give you the peace of mind of knowing your loved ones are protected from all harm with our Texas life insurance!
According to My Fox Houston, leaving home can cause anxiety for kids and parents alike. However, there are two methods that can reduce fears: a sense of independence and a vote of confidence. “Kids need opportunities to take care of themselves, and parents have gotten a lot worse at that over the years,” says Bob Ditter, a child and family therapist in Boston. A big part of separation anxiety is wondering, “How am I going to be successful?”
To boost your child’s confidence and minimize homesickness, Peg Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association, suggests these six steps:
1. Practice separations throughout the year
2. Teach independence
Tell your child that you liked the way she handled a conflict or how she approached the salesperson for help. She may not see those moves as accomplishments if you don’t acknowledge them.
3. Involve them in decision-making
Giving your child choices will help her feel that she has some control over what happens to her while she’s away. “You have to be open-minded,” says Smith. “We are not our children, and they aren’t us. It’s part of learning how to make decisions.”
4. Minimize surprises
Part of homesickness is being unfamiliar with your surroundings, so the more information your child has about logistics, the easier her transition will be.
5. Avoid making an escape plan
The minute you tell your child she doesn’t have to stay if she’s unhappy, you’ve prepared her to be unhappy. Instead, if your child calls you weeping and begging to come home, listen to her, but then move past the anxiety.
6. Don’t wig out
Severe homesickness is very rare, according to Smith, so the unhappiness you’re hearing probably doesn’t characterize your child’s entire experience. Keep reflecting your confidence that she’ll have a great time.
It is difficult to let go and watch your child become an adult. However, the rewards of seeing your child happy and successful are invaluable. Here at Gary Pollard Insurance Group, we encourage you to create lifelong memories and experience life to the fullest with our Texas life insurance!
Planning for the future can be difficult, but our agency is committed to helping you every step of the way. You should be able to spend more time enjoying life, not pouring over life insurance fact sheets. That is why our dedicated team understands Texas’ market and regulations and can find your right plan, which could include: Term life insurance, whole life insurance, and term/whole life combined. Determining the appropriate type of life insurance can become a difficult task. So let us give you the peace of mind of knowing your loved ones are protected from all harm with our Texas life insurance!
