As the dust settles on High school graduation and you’ve cherished every bonding moment this summer with your child, denial sinks in as you help your rising college student prepare to leave the nest. While this time can be exciting, it can also be exhausting and scary–and that’s for both you AND your child!

The pain of a child’s departure from home can leave the strongest woman in tears, and it’s ok to let it out now and then, but there are other ways to cope with the transition. So check out these tips below to ease your mind and keep your children close this semester–even if they’re at a distance!

Establish A Weekly Check-in

Establishing a weekly check-in time with your child teaches you to form a habit of spending time together. For example, schedule a Sunday night sit down where you and your local student discuss your plans and to-dos for the week over dinner. Or, this could be a mid-week Facetime call with your long-distance college student on Wednesdays. No matter how you do it, creating this routine will make communication less of a second thought and more of a second nature!

Share Locations

Parental paranoia is nothing to be ashamed of! Every mom wants to know that their child is safe and well-accounted for at all times, and sharing locations is the easiest way to do that! Have your child use their phone to share their location with you, and share yours in return for full transparency. From here, you’ll never have to worry about whether they made it to or from practice, nor will you have to worry about them getting back to their dorm!

Help Them Get Organized

Children can become distant if they’re overwhelmed or feel swamped with school. As a parent, you can prevent this by doing your best to ensure they remain organized, teaching and enforcing practical ways for them to do so. Teach your child healthy organization habits, such as beating deadlines and creating to-do lists. The PGS Shop has the PERFECT tool to help with this! Check out this handy dandy Self-Care Notepad for only $5!

Make The Most Of Weekends

Ah, weekends! Our great escape from the world of routine and a chance to just kick back…and the perfect time to do so with your child! School can be hectic and so can corporate offices, so weekends are the perfect time for you and your child to put the week’s burden behind you and share some TLC instead! Have a movie night with your youngster or plan a road-trip to your child’s campus–either way, enjoy it!

How do you and your child prioritize each other, #SweatSisters? Chime in below!