Don't Tell Me What to Do, Just Send Money: The Essential Parenting Guide to the College Years
Parenting a college-bound student is a tricky business--combining your  emotional and financial support with your child's newfound independence can seem  nearly impossible. The authors ofDon't Tell Me What to Do, Just Send  Moneyare all too familiar with these difficulties and have created a  practical guide that addresses specific situations and provides effective  guidelines for changing the parent-child relationship. Topics are addressed  frankly, and many parents may have trouble reading the sections concerning  controversial subjects such as drug and alcohol use, birth control,  homosexuality, and changes in religious and political beliefs. The emphasis here  is not on changing your kid's mind about any of these things, but rather how  parents can approach these sensitive topics while maintaining a positive and  honest relationship. Most pages contain small text boxes highlighting what's on  your mind and what's on your child's mind, as well as practical lists suggesting  what to do and what to avoid, and these can be extremely helpful as a quick  reference when faced with a sudden announcement from your student who's decided  to change majors, stop living in the dorm, or study abroad.With a down-to-earth tone and clear insight into the minds of both parents and  college students, this is an easy-to-read book that manages to handle difficult  topics without preaching or downplaying important events. Ultimately, this book  aims to help parents and their nearly adult children make the transition to a  new kind of relationship, ideally one that is open and mutually respectful. With  careful reading and consideration, the suggestions presented will help create a  handy road map to lead you through the twists and turns of parenting your  college student.--Jill Lightner