USA WEEKEND
ParentSmart
January 6, 2008

By Gayle Jo Carter

If you have a child in college, you know that now she gets the report cards, not you.

So how can parents be sure their beloved progenies are making the grade?

Talk to them, says Steven Roy Goodman, the author of “College Admissions Together: It Takes a Family.” You’re footing the bill, and you have the right to know they’re holding up their end. “College kids are adults, but in most cases they’re dependent adults,” he says. “Parents do have leverage.”

Forgo any ultimatums or lectures. Instead, talk about their goals. If you “speak in the language they understand — careers and jobs — then you can move forward as a team, and your child will feel free to share information you need to know.”

<< Back to Steve in the News