5 Must-Read Blogs for Parents of College Kids
Remember when you used to stand over the crib to make sure your infant was still breathing? Well, now that little bundle of baby has grown up. Not only have you managed to keep your child alive and breathing for 18 years, you’ve managed to shepherd him or her through high school.
Time to relax. Your work is done.
Who are we kidding? To steal a tagline from one of our favorite blogs: Parenting never ends.
Even though our children may look like adults at 17 or 18, we would be kidding ourselves to imagine they’re reading to navigate life without a little help from mom and dad. That’s especially true when it comes to college.
So what are the new things you need to worry about now? More importantly, what are the things you can stop worrying about and let your college kid handle on his or her own? Excellent questions.
Here’s a list of our favorite blogs for parents of college kids. Not only will these answer many of your questions, they’ll also probably give you a few laughs along the way.
1. Grown & Flown
This is the blog that provided our favorite tagline above.
While Grown & Flown is geared toward parents of older children in every stage of life, it has special sections for applying to college and the college years. There, you’ll see articles on everything parents need to know, from career advice to “hookup culture” on college campuses.
Must-read post: What You Need to Know About College Orientation, authored by Dr. Roger Martin, a former dean at Harvard. It includes do’s and don’ts for orientation that all parents should know. (Spoiler alert: do not hide in the bushes and spy into your daughter’s dorm room.)
2. College Parents of America
College Parents of America provides a helping hand in deciphering all of the college decisions that parents inevitably get pulled into. Admissions, financial aid, internship selection … it’s all covered here. Overall, this site is a fantastic guidepost for parents who are trying to figure out when they should step in and when they should back off.
Must-read post: How to Make the Most of Your Campus Visit. Find out what you should be focusing on to help your child decide on the right school.
3. The Neurotic Parent
If you like your advice served up with a side of laughs, The Neurotic Parent is the site for you.
This blog started several years ago when a mom (who decided to remain anonymous) began chronicling her son’s college selection process. Since then, the site has morphed into an all-around college advice site, albeit a very humorous one. Many of the blog posts are based on readers’ questions about their own children.
Note: While the blog is currently on a hiatus, there's still plenty of good content to check out.
Must-read post: What to Teach Your Kids Before They Go to College. Do your kids know how to hand-wash dishes? And do they know that Tupperware isn’t disposable?
4. College Parent Central
This site strives to bridge the gap between parents and students by helping parents understand what their children are experiencing during college.
Written by a mom and former educator, College Parent Central covers topics from the emotional to the practical. Here, “helicopter parents” can learn how to transition into their new roles as supporting players in their children’s lives.
Must-read post: Senior Summer: At the Crossroads of No Longer and Not Yet, a poignant look at what parents can expect during the summer after senior year and before college.
5. Circle of Moms by PopSugar
Is your college kid driving you nuts? Welcome to the club. Circle of Moms is not technically a blog, but it is your go-to site to interact with community members who just need a little support as their babies make the leap to full-grown adulthood.
Warning: This site is no-holds barred. Expect discussions about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of parenting a college-age child.
Join the community here.
For more helpful college advice, check out our Nitro blog for help with financial aid, student loans, and more. Don’t miss our step-by-step guide for filling out the FAFSA, which was authored by a college financial aid professional.