When the kids leave for college, there’s still a lot of learning left for Mom and Dad to do. New ways of communicating — often long-distance — with an adult son or daughter don’t always come naturally. Two hot topics for college students and their parents are alcohol and money.
To help parents learn what their kids are facing and how to talk about it with them, the University of Minnesota’s University Parent Program offers two online courses for parents. Alcohol Use on Campus was created in 2005 and Student Finances in 2006. U of M officials say 300-400 parents have taken the free courses. You must be a parent of a U of M student to register.
The University Parent Program site also offers online video and audio workshops for parents on housing, mental health, and studying abroad, as well as guides to career planning and student records privacy. These are open to anyone, regardless of whether they have a child at the U. Find the courses, workshops, and guides at Parent.umn.edu.
