Moms Talk: Advice For The Graduates

Each week the Mentor Patch Moms Council answers a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

This week's question: What advice did you give to your children when they graduated?

Donna Milnes:

I have worked with a lot of high school and college age kids and the thing they always said was that they loved all the free time they had when they went off to college.

When my girls went to college, I told them that school was their job and classes came first; but they had time to handle a part-time job for spending money.

As they had a good work ethic, they also took extra classes when they could. Don’t get me wrong, they enjoyed the full college experience (I’m sure) but they understood the real reason they were at school and the cost involved.

They both have their Master’s degrees and I am very proud of both of them.

The reality is college is a huge expense and young people need to do their best and not be on a four-year party plan.

Melanie Majikas:

Since my own children have not graduated yet, I think I can look back from midlife and make suggestions of advice I wish I had been given when I graduated myself.

That would be: don't be afraid to take risks, but don't do so recklessly; live beneath your means; and never burn a bridge, even in a bad situation.