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Greetings!
 I live in an agricultural area and it is planting season with the scent of freshly spread manure trailing down the roads. The farmers are eagerly tilling the soil, planting seeds, and talking about the weather as they pass through the local post office. When we parent a college student our role shifts from one that was once heavy in giving advice to that of a farmer, or gardener if you prefer. We focus on planting and tending the seeds of ideas, thoughts, values and actions that we hope contribute positively to our student's continued growth toward independence.
Successful College Parenting is planting new seeds this spring, too. About two weeks ago, I started a group on LinkedIn called Involved College Parents. This is your place to share tips and lessons learned about various college parenting issues. Join the group to see what others share, to contribute an idea, to start a discussion, and to gain new perspectives. When we parent a college student we often lose some of the ties we once had to other parents going through similar challenges. Involved College Parents is your place to share and learn with others. The current topic is:
As college students find their way home for summer, share strategies or lessons learned for easing a college student's re-entry into the family.
You can also find Involved College Parents when you search groups within LinkedIn. Please know that I am dedicated to keeping the conversations free from advertisers, and that I desire to facilitate a community of parents who feel good about being involved during the college years, and who also wish to guide their student toward greater independence.
You can also find me on Twitter @KKimballGruder or
http://twitter.com/KKimballGruder . | 
In our day-to-day parenting we can feel like our guidance is falling on deaf ears and unresponsive minds. This can make our effort seem rather futile and lead to a build up of frustration. We often convey instructions, give advice and share options with our college student with the hope that it will be nearly instantly integrated, but more often than not we underestimate the time it takes for an idea or suggestion to take hold. 
When your student returns home it is easy to spend time noticing all that seems different or entirely unfamiliar. Instead of comparing what is with what was, consider finding one nice thing to say 
