Set Expectations at Spring Break

If your adult child is coming home from college and staying with you over Spring Break, it can be a great opportunity to consciously set some expectations for the week that will also help set the tone for the future.

Or, at the very least, to avoid setting some unrealistic expectations!

It can be tempting for your kid to come home and expect to be treated like returning royalty. They may want to focus on their studies, perhaps, or (more likely) focus on catching up with friends and sleep, while hoping that you’ll catch up on their laundry.

So now is the time–before they arrive–to make sure they understand the ground rules. Let them know that they are welcome to use the washing machine, for example.

If there’s a family car, make up a schedule so you don’t end up stranded.

It may be tempting for you to pamper them, but have no doubt: They will get used to whatever happens during their brief visits home. By communicating with them as one adult to another you can welcome them home, without creating dangerous patterns for the future.