It happens eventually: the kids grow up, they graduate from high school, and then they’re off to college. Many kids struggle to decide whether or not they should stay at home or move out – others are off like a rocket. The Northeastern states see thousands of students leave every year. Sometimes it’s just over the state line, but sometimes it’s to other coasts or even abroad. Canadian universities are a big draw for American students. Schools like McGill and University of Toronto compete with the Ivy League for reputation, but the tuition, even for foreign students, is a lot lower.
As much as you want them to stay close to home, you always want the best for them. Graduating with less debt means they’ll be that much closer to saving for their homes and starting their own families.
Just because you’ve said goodbye doesn’t mean you to have wait for Christmas and Easter to see them. (Parents be warned: Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, meaning your kids will be right in the middle of finals just when they’re supposed to be coming home.) As much as you may hope to talk to your son or daughter on the phone every day, let’s be honest and admit that’s only going to happen when they’re missing a holiday. How can it be so hard to get a phone call from your kid when they’re on their iPhones all day anyway? The trick to staying in touch is getting on the social media they use obsessively already.
There are plenty of options for cheap international calls like Skype, but college-age kids are busy studying, meeting new friends, and finding new interests. Make it easy for them to talk to you and let them do it on their own schedule. Snapchat lets people record short videos of themselves and send them to a contact. It can be a great way to send and receive video messages without having to set aside a scheduled time to sit down and chat in front of a webcam. Facebook is still a great option if you want to follows the ups and downs of undergrad, but kids aren’t always keen on letting their parents seeing everything on their profiles. Instead, it might be better to follow them on Instagram or Twitter to keep up-to-date on how they’re getting along in a foreign country or seeing their latest furniture finds from Kijiji. They’re probably having a blast: just try to share in their happiness.
If your college-bound kid is itching for an upgraded iPhone, they may be better off waiting until they get to Canada. Take a look at the average price of the iPhone 6 in college towns like Montreal and Kingston and don’t forget the exchange rate. Those numbers are in Canadian dollars. Put those savings toward other school necessities like a laptop or textbooks. Staying connected with quality video and seamless reception is important, but you don’t have to break the bank to get them.
