Stress About Choosing a College

My daughter will be going to college soon. My husband and I want her to study in school near our home because of health reasons, but she wants to go to school in the city because according to her she is not proud and comfortable in going to the school that we choose. She prefers to stay at home if she can't go to the school of her choice. I'm now stress out with the bantering of my husband and daughter. Help !

Thanks so very much for reaching out to us tonight at the Boys Town National Hotline. It sounds like you and your husband care for your daughter very much. And its very understandable to why you would want to hesitate when she talks about moving away for college. It is very normal for teenagers to think about moving out of town/state for college when they are future planning. At the same time, it is also very normal for parents to want to have their children close to home. After all, you have raised your child all these years, its hard to see them have to leave one day. A couple of things to keep in mind are, just because she wants to move away for college, it doesn't mean it will all work out that way. However, in the event that she actually does move away for college, you can still visit as well as she can visit you and your husband.

It is unfortunate that you are dealing with this stress and having to listen to your daughters complaints and your husbands complaints as well. Hopefully, you can all three sit down as a family and discuss all options and voice each others opinions so that you can come to an agreement. For now the best you can probably do as a parent is to educate your daughter and prepare her well so that if she ends up moving for college, she will be successful and happy. She may be planning for college now, but she is still home with you today. Enjoy the time you still have with her because they grow so quickly and its very normal that they want to branch out and be independent. The fact that your daughter feels so confident in moving away for college shows that you and your husband have done a great job in raising her to be a confident young lady.

Please know that we are here for you at our hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you ever feel like you would like to call and speak with a counselor, please know that we are here for you, your husband, and your daughter as well.

Best of luck to you and your family,
Mandi - Crisis Counselor

< Return to List