Many schools are already in session. Some will wait until after Labor Day. For many it will be their first adventure into the unknown as they enter kindergarten. For the seasoned college students, there are still anxious moments concerning class credits, living with another set of roommates. deciding what your major will be. For most parents, there is a period of separation anxiety, but it is soon replaced with freedom of a sort. Wherever you are in this category – parents or students – there will be adjustments to make.
I had an eye-opening experience the summer before entering high school. I acted as a nanny for an adopted child who had made many adjustments already in her short life. She was the center of the household. She was an only child. She was doted on – got her own way most of the time – and quickly realized that she ruled the roost. The lessons I learned in the process helped me enter high school with a whole different perspective. The experience taught me that I was responsible for another human being. I learned that the child wouldn’t always agree with me. I played games with her which challenged both of us. We learned to do things together rather than separately. A bond was created. This opened doors for me as I entered high school. Putting others first, is a good solution to most problems that arise.
When a child goes to his first day of school there are many new things to experience, explore, discover and learn. A teacher has her hands full of all kinds of issues, with assorted backgrounds. There are so many controls on teachers today, along with creating a safe environment for these little ones. Socialization is one of them. Teamwork, solving problems, being creative are crucial in this part of early education, and in my opinion should be taught first at home. There are those children who are shy about mixing in with strangers – those who are unable to understand that the world doesn’t revolve around them – those who don’t know how to share. There are the friendly, approachable kids who are cooperative, and those who want to be the leaders. Quite a mixed bag of challenges.
When a student reaches college, the adjustments are even greater. For many, it’s their first time living in a different environment than their family home. Like in a marriage, the first year seems to be the hardest, because the personal, societal and physical differences are a combination which can create all kinds of chaos. Again, that old lesson that I learned so long ago, continues to hold true. When we can put ourselves in another’s shoes, we will gain a greater understanding of them and their needs. That doesn’t mean one should be a doormat for the other, but there should be compromises and discussions to clear the air for the future. Often college roommates will go on to be lifetime friends. Some will never speak to each other again. Hopefully, they can choose to adapt and accept each other (faults and all) or complain and be miserable. Encourage your college students to be willing to give up when necessary – to look for the good in those they are closest to, without compromising their beliefs – try to understand another person’s point of view and work together to maintain a comfortable situation for everyone. All of those things will help them succeed in whatever path they choose
I’m so glad my school days are over, but learning never really ends. Most of our social skills are learned by trial and error. Many never overcome their fears, their shortcomings or failures, but they are God’s creation and the future of America. Whatever we can do as parents, will not only prepare them, but also equip them with the right stuff.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it,” Proverbs 22;6 ESV
