When your kids go off to college, mixed feelings of pride and anxiety are natural. You’re happy to see them come so far, but you’re nervous about how they’ll handle the new requirements of college life. Keeping track of their progress can help to ease your mind, but how can you do so without being too intrusive?

Following are five tips for staying in touch with your college student:

1. Give Them Enough Space

   College students are taking their first steps toward independence and maturity when they leave home, and they need room to grow. Avoid being too overbearing with your students. While you’re rightfully concerned about them, they’ll benefit from the increased freedom of independent living by learning to face life head on. Have confidence in your kids and give them enough space so that they can develop into mature young adults.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Check In

   Even as your kids begin to grow up and live more independently, they are still your kids. Don’t be afraid to check in from time to time. If you haven’t heard from your young student all week, there’s nothing wrong with dropping a line to check in. Give your student a call, write an email, or even just send a friendly text. Many students experience feelings of homesickness when they start studying away from home, and it helps to let them know that you’re still around to talk.

3. Start Using Video Chat

   When you can’t see your student face to face as often as you’d like, video chatting is a great way to get a little face time. Start using an online service like Skype, or make use of mobile phone video chatting capabilities. It’s much easier to see how your kids are doing when you can chat face to face, and this will help to keep your bonds strong even while you’re miles away from each other. Find a time that works for both of you, and chat with video to get as close as you can to a live conversation.

4. Stay positive

   Keeping track of your student’s progress, as well as his or her challenges, is important. However, it’s also important not to ask the wrong questions when checking in. Avoid asking about things like homesickness or discussing the fact that you miss them so much you are miserable. Your kids will talk about these things if they want to, but many students are too busy to even think about homesickness until someone brings it up. Focus on the positive sides of college life when talking to your kids to help them stay positive.

5. Make Occasional Campus Visits

   If you’re living in southern California while your student attends the University of New England, visiting campus on a regular basis probably won’t be feasible. Your student may also be happier with the time alone to focus on personal development. However, take the time and consideration to plan an occasional visit, especially on Parents Weekend. This will help you see how your student is living in college and help keep your relationship strong.

Be careful not to become one of those parents that hover over their student. Maintain boundaries but let your student know you are always there for them. Staying in touch with your student during college isn’t always easy, but remembering these simple tips will help you stay in touch and allow for open communication.