Helping Your College Student Thrive Away From HomeWhat I’ve learned about prayer, support, and parenting from afar.
Back to school happened about a month ago for us. Many of you have already made this transition, and some of you may even be sending your child to college for the very first time. Since this is my fifth year of sending one or both of my kids to Cedarville University in Ohio—nearly 900 miles away—I thought I’d share what I’ve learned about supporting them from afar.
I won’t sugarcoat it: leaving them there was hard on my heart. I knew it was where God wanted them, but supporting them from nearly 900 miles away has been a learning curve. At times, I felt like I was failing—like I wasn’t doing enough or didn’t have the right answers for their hard questions. But God…those two words have carried me through. He is sufficient when I am not. He has provided for them in ways I could never have orchestrated myself.
Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about parenting adult children:
Prayer is essential. I’ve prayed more for my kids in college than at any other season. Sometimes I prayed specific prayers—for relationships, studies, and their walk with the Lord. Other times my prayers were more general, asking for peace, wisdom, or grace. And yes, there were times of simply pleading with the Lord when I felt helpless.
Every child communicates differently. One of my kids would text or call multiple times a day. The other? Not so much! Both were fine, but we learned that checking in matters for all of us, whether it’s daily or weekly.
Letting them experience hard things is necessary. When COVID numbers spiked during my daughter’s freshman year, I wanted to run and rescue her. My husband gently reminded me that she needed to face hard situations without us. And he was right. Each trial has taught them resilience—and reminded me to trust God more deeply.
Letting them fall without rescuing is part of their growth. Being far away meant I couldn’t fix things like forgotten assignments or missed work schedules. Instead, they had to take responsibility instead of relying on me to remind them. It’s been good for them, and surprisingly, good for me.
Parenting adult children is a new journey—one that still feels unfamiliar at times. But it’s also deeply rewarding. I get to watch them thrive in their community, and I get to see God’s hand shaping them in ways I never could. And that’s a beautiful gift.
Don't forget about the Blog-aversary Giveaway happening right now until Friday, September 19th at 11:59 pm! Here's the link with all the details: Blog-aversary Giveaway
My Etsy Shop, HOPE & HARMONY PAGES is running a September sale! Inside you’ll find digital printables for grief support, school, homeschool, classroom use, organization, and even some new holiday-themed items. Since they’re instant downloads, you’ll receive your printable as soon as you purchase.
If you’re walking through loss—or know someone who is—here are three resources I’ve created specifically for grief:
HOPE IN THE MOURNING: A 30 DAY JOURNAL FOR THE GRIEVINGGRIEF TO GRACE MINI GUIDE: 5 GENTLE STEPS TOWARD HOPE
All three of these resources work together, or you can use them separately. Use them for yourself, or gift them to someone who needs them.
These resources can be used separately or together as a beautiful set. Whether for yourself or as a thoughtful gift, my prayer is that they bring encouragement and hope.
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