The summer before college is an amazing and beautiful time. While you may be working to cope through that your baby is officially (unless they are actually still 17) an adult, that young adult feels ready to take on the world. The three months between graduation and the start of college may be the last time your little is living at home so finding fun ways to take advantage of this special time can be the perfect way to plan out your summer.
We’ve put together a list of ideas to have the perfect summer together before college begins.
1.) Take a Road Trip
Long hours in the car are a great way to find time to talk and catch up. Pick a destination you’ve never been to and enjoy splitting the time on the road with your adult driver. Try to not worry about their driving skills and instead enjoy the journey together.
2.) Plan Out Their Dorm Decor
Beginning in July, home decor stores start putting out college necessities. Make picking out the perfect bedspread and shower tote a family outing. After the shopping trip head off to your favorite ice cream or dessert shop and reminisce over how much they’ve grown.
3.) Be a Tourist in Your Hometown
This summer might be the last time that your son or daughter is living at home, and taking the time to find the charm in what makes home, home is a fun way to experience the city together. See what tourist activities you’ve never been to and try to discover something new that they can share as a fun fact during college orientation.
4.) Take Family Photos
As children grow, the time that they have for family photos becomes limited. Call up your favorite family photographer and record the whole family together. If you can, invite grandparents and extended family to participate and capture this moment in life for everyone to enjoy.
5.) Schedule Doctor’s and Dentist Appointments
Even though there is a health center on campus, it can be hard for a freshman college student to remember that they need to get their teeth cleaned and eyes checked (unless they run out of contacts). Lend a helping hand and make sure that they have one more visit to the doctor to get any additional vaccinations (boosters of tetanus, chicken pox, meningitis) and a trip to the dentist for a cleaning and cavity check.
6.) Encourage them to Invite all their Friends over for a Movie Night
After high school it can be hard to keep in touch with friends. You’ve probably seen a lot of these kiddos grow and when they head off to school it might be the last time any of them are around the house. Instead of sending everyone out of the house, invite them all over for a movie night and enjoy the laughter of teenagers from one room over. No one wants their parents to crash movie night.
7.) Sit Down and Make a Financial Plan
Once they arrive on campus, 18 year olds are prime candidates for credit card sales and bad financial decisions. Sitting down ahead of time to talk about debt and how to establish a budget is time well spent. If you are helping with paying for college, this is the time to establish ground rules regarding how you expect them to behave to continue to receive assistance. Make a plan for emergencies and ensure everyone is on the same page.
8.) Plan a Dinner and Game Night
Between dorm cafeterias and fast food a good home cooked meal might be something that brings the kids back home time and again (that and free laundry). Cook up a family favorite and plan for an evening of togetherness over a board game that’s been collecting dust in the top of the closet for years.
No matter how you choose to plan out that last summer before college, it’s going to be a memorable time watching your child go from teenager to young adult. Enjoy the little moments and remember that the next time they are home, they’ll be adults.
Photo Credits: Unsplash, Pexels
