There’s nothing like the reunion when college kids come home for Spring Break. But let’s be honest — the flow of life does get disrupted a bit. And the sweet reunion and quality family time you were hoping for may not go as you have envisioned it in your mind. At this age, kids are stuck between wanting to recapture the family life they’ve been missing and not wanting to give up any of their newfound independence. This, in turn, can leave you overjoyed to have them home and struggling not to tear your hair out. Cheer up, though. With these tips, you can survive college kids coming home for Spring Break and maybe even thrive during these weeks together!
Make Plans Loosely
Make no mistake, your college-aged kids are thrilled to see you and be home. They love their family and have probably been incredibly homesick! But they’re also itching to reconnect with high school friends — not to mention, they’ve been “in charge” of their schedules for awhile now. Even though they want to do family activities, they’ve probably been making side plans of their own. However, you may be surprised how often your independent college student will say yes to hanging out with you or family if you ask in advance. Make sure you get on their social calendar early!
Make Your House THE Place to Be
They’re still kids at heart, and if your home is the fun home they (and their friends) will want to just stay home a lot. If you’ve been thinking about a family game room, now would be a great time to go for it! At The Pool People, we have everything from dart boards to foosball tables to arcade games and billiards tables.
Since you’re probably keeping to your normal schedule most days, your decked-out game room might be used by your college kids and their friends most of the time. But, you should definitely get in on the fun with them! Start a running family darts tournament or roust them from their beds one weekend to challenge them to a game of pool.
Invite College Kids To Do Your Things
Now that they’re grown (technically), your kids might like to be invited to do some of the things you and your partner might have done sans kids. What are some things you like to do that they might enjoy but have likely always deemed an “adult” activity? For instance, ask them to go golfing or out to a one-on-one dinner with you. Or, invite them to join you in the hot tub or sauna after younger siblings are in bed. Even if they pass because they want to hang out with their friends, they’ll feel good that you invited them!
We know you are over the moon to see your college kid soon. Need some new equipment for your game room, water chemicals for your hot tub, or anything else? Stop by one of our four convenient locations in Appleton, Stevens Point, Schofield or Wausau. And above all, enjoy the joy of Spring Break with the ones you love most.
