View Post

Countdown to College Part 1-Practicing Independence

In There's a Stranger in My House by Dr James Wellborn

“I’m going to hang out this weekend.  I’ll see you on Monday.” “Wait.  What?  What do you mean you’ll see me on Monday?  You are NOT staying gone all weekend!” “When I’m at college in a couple of weeks, you won’t even know if I ever come back in!” “The ink isn’t dry on your diploma, you aren’t leaving for …

View Post

Countdown to College Part 2-Alcohol and Drugs

In There's a Stranger in My House by Dr James Wellborn

Once you have set expectations for the summer in the run up to college, there are a number of conversations that are worth having with your newly young adult child.  The percentage of college age people who binge drink alcohol (5 or more drinks in one setting) in the previous month is 41%.  Thirty eight percent rode with a driver …

View Post

Countdown to College Part 3-Personal Safety

In There's a Stranger in My House by Dr James Wellborn

Awareness of personal safety is another of the conversations to have with your kid before they head off to college.  Hopefully, you have been able to provide a relatively safe environment to raise your kid.  If you have, they don’t really know how to identify truly dangerous situations.  (You think my wife freaked out thinking about the alcohol and drug …

View Post

Countdown to College Part 4-Sexual Decision Making

In There's a Stranger in My House by Dr James Wellborn

Love, intimacy, rejection, lust, heartbreak, carnal pleasure; there’s so much for your college bound kid to learn and experience in the months ahead.  This is the fourth and final column on some of the discussions worth having with your older teen as they prepare to take off for college.  As such, there are several aspects of sexual decision making they …

View Post

8 Life Skills Kids Need Before College

In The Blog by Dr James Wellborn

Countdown to High School Graduation: Preparing High School Seniors for Young Adulthood By Dr. James G. Wellborn Senior year.  EVERYONE is counting down the days to graduation; teenagers, parents, teachers, school administrators, the local police.  Finally, your kid can enter the phase psychologist Jeffrey Arnett calls emerging adulthood; a time of life marked by career training, partial independence, and lack …