3 ways your family can stay connected when your kids go off to college.
Students are finding new ways to stay in touch with family by streaming their favorite NFL Sunday Ticket games and TV shows. A college professor shares the tech and tips.
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Over the last 13 years teaching IT, I’ve seen some new ways parents are staying connected with their college kids using tech. They’re playing multiplayer video games, streaming a TV series together, or watching fall football with NFL Sunday Ticket together. These activities can help you make the transition as your child goes from living at home to living on their own. It’s not an easy transition, but tech can help you both play your way through finding new ways to communicate.
Here are three ways parents can use technology to help their kids navigate this new stage of independence:
Make a communication plan. Decide how often you’ll check in and how you’ll do so—for example, with a phone call or a video chat. Pick a regular day and time, stick to the plan, and don’t bombard them with extra texts, calls, or emails. You want to show them that you’ll stick to the rules, too.
Stream the NFL Sunday Ticket games. Gift your college student a good laptop and a smartphone with a mobile hotspot, and find out how to get NFL Sunday Ticket. Eligible mobile and home internet customers can get this season of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV on Verizon. So if they’re attending a school away from home, they can catch out-of-market games. You can add up to two devices to stream the games together. Pick a time, and plan to watch the same game.
Pick a video game you can play together. If your college kid is a gamer, consider learning what game they want to play and join them. Most games let players chat or video chat during the game, which offers a pressure-free way to stay in touch.
A tip for parents: Don’t text their professors about their grades or other academic matters, since there are legal limitations on what professors can disclose without student consent. Instead, encourage your college student to advocate for themselves in person with their professors.
Sending your child to college is a time to learn how to connect with them in a different way. Learning how they want to stay in touch is crucial to your relationship. Sharing some of the things you did at home, or learning something new, like gaming, are some of the best ways to create a connection without being overbearing. Good communication will let you put your mind at ease and watch your child grow into a responsible adult. Good luck!
Stay connected when they go to college and keep the Sunday football tradition going with NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Get unlimited streaming on all your devices at home and add up to two devices for your college student.
