Supporting Your Student In Residence

Now that your student has moved into Residence, your role as a coach will be vital. Your student will be experiencing a lot of change: different food, different bed, different community, different time management, different type of education… It is important to encourage your student to support themselves, try new things and take this time to explore their opportunities.

Tips and suggestions:

• Visit us when you arrive! You’ll meet members of Residence and Housing’s administration, other parents of students new to Residence, and the volunteers and professionals who are here to support your student.
• Be an anchor. Listen with an open mind and be supportive.
• Take the point of view that university is a milestone.
• Express your belief that your student will succeed. If they are struggling, point them in the direction of services and let them feel successful when they use those services.
• Send your student care packages including things that will remind them of home. Items might include local newspaper articles, favourite treats, photos, etc. Everyday items, like shampoo, gum, soap, cough drops, toothbrushes or simply a new magazine are always a hit!
• Let them go, just a little. It is their time on their own, living in a safe and supportive community.

Suggested reading:

• University of Western Ontario ’s calendar for parents (with tips and ideas about what your student is experiencing each month) http://www.has.uwo.ca/housing/residence/parents/calendar_index.htm
• Don't Tell Me What To Do, Just Send Money: The Essential Parenting Guide to the College Years by Christine Schelhas-Miller, Helen E Johnson
• The College Student's Guide to Eating Well on Campus . Ann Selkowitz Litt, M.S., R.D., L.D. (Tulip Hill Press, 2000)