Set your high school graduate up for success.

If you have a near-adult in your home, then they’re probably about to hit a huge milestone. They’re going to graduate high school soon, and if they’ve applied for college, they’ll be waiting on pins and needles for their acceptance letters.

They may get into their dream college, or they might be disappointed with their results.

They might move away for college, or they may stay at home. Maybe they find that the traditional four-year-college path is not a good fit for their career aspirations.

Whatever their decision is, your child will become an adult soon, and you should do everything you can to help them out.

Here are 7 ways you can help your high school graduate be successful.

1. Be patient and encouraging.

As a teenager, sometimes it’s hard to know what you want when you’ve always lived in the familiar bubble of school and home. But the reality is that bubble’s about to burst!

That reality can be scary and can cause your kids to “freeze up” when it comes to their upcoming life decisions. Pressuring them into making a choice won’t help and might cause them to freeze up even more.

Instead, be patient and encouraging. When they see they have their parents’ full support, children will feel more confident in making life choices.

2. Learn to let go.

We understand; your child will always be your baby. But you shouldn’t always treat them like one!

They’re about to become full-fledged adults, and as you know, all adults make mistakes. You should allow your kid to make their own mistakes, no matter how tempting it can be to continually shield them from the world and bad decisions.

You can always give your children advice and offer a shoulder to cry on when things go wrong, but resist te temptation of being in the driver’s seat when it comes to their life. You’ve sat in that seat for long enough; it’s time to get in the passenger seat now.

3. Be accepting.

Not everyone is suited for college, and that’s ok. It’s true that university degrees can help people get a leg up on life, but if it’s not what your kids want to do, then don’t pressure them.

After all, plenty of entrepreneurs never went to college (or dropped out), and we’d say they’ve done alright.

If your child wants to pursue something that’s unconventional, be accepting; don’t force them to attend university, and be supportive of their life dreams.

4. Help them in their career choices.

If your child does want to go to college, then great! While they may have aspirations for attending university, they may feel lost. They have so many interests and passions, and they can’t really narrow it down to a single career path.

In this case, feel free to give them a hand. Help them research some potential careers and discuss whether or not those paths are feasible.

For example, if they love children and want to work in health care, then pediatric dentistry could be a great career to choose!

5. Give them more responsibilities.

Whether they decide to dorm (or move out) or stay at home, your child will become a legal adult soon, and legal adults need to know how to handle responsibilities. You won’t always be around, so you need to teach them valuable life skills now, so they can be fully independent when the time calls for it.

For instance, teach them the basics of cooking, how to do laundry, and get them their own bank account if they don’t have one yet. Show them how to balance their checkbook and give them some handy advice on budgeting.

Stop giving an allowance and encourage your children to get a job. They’ll learn the value of the work they have to put in to purchase simple things in life. It’ll also make it that much more rewarding when they save up and purchase something all on their own.

6. Teach them how to keep track of bills.

Eventually, your kids will have to handle bills all on their own. Without any guidance, it can be confusing and hard to keep track of. This can result in late payments, which can negatively affect their credit score.

Show your children how you keep track of all your bills (such as rent/mortgage, groceries, utilities, phone, etc.) and help them find an app or program that’ll help them manage these things. The earlier they get the hang of this, the better it’ll be for their future.

7. Educate them on how to stay healthy.

You’ve been their maid, cook, chauffeur, and tons of other roles in your kids’ lives. But now, it’s time for them to spread their wings and take care of themselves.

What may seem like straightforward basic care may not be so obvious to your children. Take this opportunity to educate them on basic nutrition; if left to their own devices, they’d probably survive on Coke and chips!

You should schedule them for a physical with their doctor, so they can get a clean bill of health before they make the transition into adulthood.

You should also schedule a professional cleaning and evaluation with a dentist, such as with Dr. Staley. The staff at Staley Dental of Boise has 20 years of experience, and the practice is relaxing and comfortable. This can help your child be more comfortable and confident in making their own dental appointments once they’re an adult.

Help your high school graduate become a successful adult.

Now you have a great list of ways to help your high school graduate become a successful adult. The most important thing is to be patient, loving, and accepting of any choices they make in life.

Considering they’ve been under your wing their entire lives, it may be hard to let go. But your baby is ready to make a life of their own, so all you can do is set them up for success. That way, they can be well-prepared and have all issues addressed (such as dental ones) before they move onto the next phase of their lives.

Are you ready to schedule a cleaning and evaluation for your child? Get in touch with us today!