Waving goodbye to your kid when he or she is off to college is hardly any point; they’ll be back soon enough so that you can do their laundry and cook up a proper meal for them.

There is a lot you can do to avoid having your college student over so that you can parent them, though, and while it’s always nice to see them, it’s also good to know that they know how to take care of themselves.

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It’s just what we’ve been trying to teach them their whole life but some things need a bit more repetition.

Here is a handful of the most important stuff you should make sure that your teen knows before it’s time for college so that you can feel even more confident that they’ll manage on their own.

First: Start by teaching them how to cook

Ever asked your kid to prepare dinner for the family, just to see them heat up a frozen pizza? Chances are that this is what they’ll be living off unless you put some serious effort into teaching them how to actually cook.

They might not enjoy it, in the beginning, but when there’s no other option than to cook up a meal, they’re going to be very happy that you taught them how to make it tasty. Plus, you’re also ensuring that they’re not spending all of their money on takeaway.

You can always pay them a visit on campus as well, though, to see how they’re doing; have a look at lodging near Princeton University and keep in mind that most universities offer great hotel accommodation to visiting parents.  

Start the cooking lessons by teaching them how to make cheap and healthy meals. Eggs, chicken, and canned tuna should be their go-to food in order to save money - and teach them how to shop in bulk when they’re on a budget as well.

Here is a handy article on student meals you can forward to them so that they won’t be bombarding you with texts on how to know when the rice is done.

Next: Teach them how to budget

As their parent, you probably know very well if your teen needs a crash-course in budgeting. If they were painfully saving their allowance and sniffing at their siblings’ reckless spending, they’re probably going to do just fine.

Most teenagers are, however, not that good at budgeting and saving money - especially not when there are so many fun things to do around campus. Help them to set up a proper budget for themselves before heading off, and advise them against going wild with their credit card.

If they should mess up once in a while, there are many lessons to be learned - and it’s much better to learn these lessons sooner rather than later.

As long as you’ve taught them these things as well as how to be decent human being around others, your teen will be just fine. Try not to worry too much and remember that you can always visit them to make sure they’re eating properly as well.