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Do You Trust Your Kid?Jun 12 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line An allowance is a way to help students transition into college life, but parents shouldnt' have to pay for everything forever. Before you send your kid off to college or university, you've probably had a discussion about drugs and about sex. Have you talked to them about responsibility? Have you discussed money with them? If you haven't, it's time to do it. If your student is living away from home for the first time, there are lots of transitions to be made. If the student is living in a dorm, s/he may be sharing a room for the first time in his/her life. Even if s/he has shared a room with a sibling, this new person is likely to be a stranger. If the child is in an apartment, they will find out that there are lots of little necessities to be purchased that can nickel and dime you to death. I don't know about anyone else, but the first time I was alone, I forgot to budget for things like cleaning supplies. Students invariably need more money than they (or their parents) plan for. I recommend that the first semester parents and students work out a general budget. Go to the bookstore with your student the first time (or if you can't do that, go to varsitybooks.com or textbooks.com) and get a feel for what things cost. Get a hold of last year's reading list for a couple of classes that your student is considering. Price things out. Figure out how much laundry costs. I do not recommend that students get a job their first semester unless they need to. There are too many transitions and too much to adjust to. By the second semester, however, they might be ready to do this. So what should an allowance cover if your student gets one? You probably can pay tuition, books and dorm fees (which should include a meal plan) by credit card. An allowance, therefore, will have to cover telephone expenses, school supplies, and entertainment. If you trust your child to spend money on what it's meant for, you can just give it to them and let them sink or swim. With a little planning, however, you can help the student to eliminate problems. Some schools have a "book store" or "school" account that can be set up. Students can have money put into this that can only be spent at the campus bookstore. Of course, this won't stop students buying candles, CDs and such, but it eliminates some of the other things. Get your student a few movie passes, too. These are great and guarantee that your student will spend some time relaxing as well as working. Students vary in terms of their needs, as do all of us. Female students who are trying to get into a sorority may need nylons. Those who are not seeking this social circle may do fine in jeans and socks. Students do not need to live in luxury, but they do need to live. They should not expect that mom and dad are going to foot the bill for everything (though it is very nice if some are able to do this.) To start with, however, it helps to have the help making the transition. Of course, whether you give your student an allowance or not, you can expect that when they come home, they're going to bring their laundry.  |
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