Parents have a bit of a bad habit that we can all fall prey to. In our desire to make sure our teenagers succeed and have an incredible life, we can begin to push them a little too hard. When we do, we can fill them with dread, making them fear the coming stresses of their college education. Before long they may be so anxious that they don’t even know if they can cope with what is to come.

How do we avoid overdoing it while still getting them excited for college? Is it possible to have it both ways? Thankfully, yes…we can prepare them for entering into the next stage of their academic careers, without making them go crazy from fear.

The Apple Pie Analogy

Some tasks can seem monumental and impossible to control. When that happens, teens may naturally become apathetic and not want to face it. Breaking it down into something more manageable can help, and that is where the apple pie analogy comes in.

If your teenager is feeling overwhelmed, just tell them to take a deep breath and imagine an apple pie. Do you eat the whole thing at once? Of course not! You take a slice and finish that first. Their job isn’t to eat the pie, only to eat a slice.

How To Get Your Teen Pumped – Not Anxious

There are so many reasons for your teen to be excited at the prospect of college. But they might be lost under the wave of anxiety that is much stronger. That means you need to point out the positives, such as:

  • A chance to become more independent
  • A clean slate
  • A collection of new, more varied friendships
  • An opportunity to learn a more niche selection of skills

Do’s and Don’ts Of Getting Them Ready For College

Do help them to begin researching schools, including programs they may be interested in, and taking into account specialized needs they may have.

Don’t just give them a selection of pamphlets like those sent in the mail.

Do give them guidance on what is and isn’t manageable as far as finances, scholarships, FAFSA, living accommodations, and weight the pros and cons of each. You can encourage them to take courses at The Course Nerd as a preparation for college.

Don’t throw them into it alone and wait for them to come to you with questions.

Do take them to the schools they are interested for tours before they make any decisions.

Don’t depend on online or virtual tours, or put it off until they have selected their school.

As the content writer and outreach coordinator for HelpYourTeenNow, Tyler Jacobson joined the team after years of parenting a son with Reactive Attachment Disorder. He lends his experiences and education to other parents looking for ways to help their teens that struggle in school, social, and family circles. Topics that Tyler commonly writes on are parenting, troubled teens, education problems, behavioral disorders, and addictions. Follow Tyler on: Twitter | LinkedIn