College Parenting Newsletter | December
This Month and Next
Dec. 5 – Last day of fall semester classes. Last day to withdraw from a class.
Dec. 8-11 – Final Exams
Dec. 12 – Residence halls close for Winter Break.
Refer to the Residence Life Move-In/Move-Out information for student checkout responsibilities. Your student can submit a Beyond Checkout Request in the Res Life Portal if they need to stay on campus after Dec. 12.
Dining halls will be closed after lunch on Dec. 12.
Dec. 13-Jan. 11 – Winter Break
Bookmark this year’s Academic Calendar (PDF) for important dates and events.
Students are about to travel home for break. Your family will want to be ready for the transition into sharing space once again. How to Reconnect During Break will give you a few tips and lots of encouragement to help you do it well!
Prayer Points
- Final exams, group projects, and papers
- Dorm check-out and travel plans
- Deciding on degree majors and minors or changing degrees
- Adjusting and transitioning again to being back home over break
- Romans 8:28-29 – For their minds to recall and apply what they have learned
- John 14:12 – For peace in their heart in all circumstances
- Colossians 3:15 – That they will allow His peace to rule the path of their thoughts and feelings
- James 5:1-6 – For the Lord’s wisdom in making decisions
By partnering with your student in prayer, you will give them one of the greatest supports they could hope for as they follow God’s call to be the adults that He equips them to be. Trust in the Lord to be faithful; your family willl rise to the challenges. Be encouraged! We are here to journey alongside you, to pray with you, and more valuable than that, God is with you!
December Tip of the Month:
When you talk with your college student, are you asking only about grades and deadlines, or are you also checking in on their well-being, friendships, and spiritual growth? Matthew 6:21 reminds us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Your words can point toward what truly lasts: your student’s character, their faith, and their purpose. By asking questions that show you value their heart as much as their achievements, you will help them see that success isn’t just about academics, but about living with integrity and hope. Your conversations can be a powerful way to affirm their worth and guide them toward what matters most, which is their relationship with God.
Here are a few questions you might ask to reflect these values:
- What’s been the highlight of your semester?
- How are you feeling about your friendships and community on campus?
- What’s something you’ve learned recently that is shaping the way you see the world?
- How can I spiritually support you this week?
- What’s helping you stay grounded and encouraged right now?
These kinds of questions communicate care for their whole person and remind them that their identity is rooted in more than grades or accomplishments.
Parent Support | When Your Student Comes Home
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” – Romans 15:13
There are several things you can do to support your student and their personal growth during the upcoming break. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are a few encouragements that may help you.
Acknowledge the real possibility that being in each other’s space again may feel a little bumpy. This discomfort has a lot to do with expectations, both yours and theirs. Don’t fall back into the “old” routine of making all the plans and then delivering the agenda. Open it up for their input. No matter which holiday or season it is, family traditions and a miltitude of other activities may be on their list of things to do before getting back to campus for the next semester. These may involve satisfying a CSER project over break, working to help with the cost of college, or sleeping to catch up on the rest they lost at school.
Tip: Ask them what they want to accomplish while they are home, then follow it up by asking how you can best support them.
Celebrate. The child that you sent to college is walking through your door with thousands of decisions they made this semester. They have studied God’s Word, been exposed to its truth, prayed through numerous situations, and jumped into a variety of challenges. You have an opportunity to celebrate who they are in Christ and everything they have learned along the way. It may also be a time for you to share what you’ve learned while they have been away.
Tip: We shouldn’t ever be too old to learn and grow in our walk with Jesus.
Be mindful of their growing autonomy. Your student has been making all sorts of decisions every day without your input. During the same time, you have also experienced autonomy by creating a routine that doesn’t include them. It isn’t “either/or”. It’s actually a “both/and”.
Tip: Consider that you both could benefit from a bit of space (call it grace) as you all acclimate to being in close proximity again.
Rejoice, and remember your spiritual armor. For our first-time college students, the first semester is particularly difficult. If your student’s grades aren’t what you hoped, find other ways to rejoice. Rejoice in everything and give thanks in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:16-18). Joy and praise are interwoven throughout your spiritual armor! Without them in place, this season for your family is ripe with opportunities for the devil to poke and prod at your family’s dynamics.
Tip: Take stock of your armor (Ephesians 6)! Any chinks in it could be the first aim that the devil takes to use as a wedge in your family’s relationship.
We exist to support the mission of Liberty University Training Champions for Christ by sharing timely, relevant, and accurate information with students’ family members about the resources, programs, and activities available on campus. Our purpose is to build relationships between parents and the university, promote student success, and support parents through the transition of their students being at college – all the while praying for their highest calling in Jesus Christ.
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