Every time my phone DOESN’T ring it’s you

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

By Jim Van Wingerden

My brother shared the above comment with me a few weeks ago.  I thought it a clever way for him to make a point. (I also took the hint). It also reminds me that this Weblog has been silent for a few months so here I am to deposit my 50 cents.

That phrase also reminds me of a recent conversation with a parent who shared his concern that he wasn’t hearing very much from his first-year student.  His son had been quite open and communicative with both mom and dad during the high school years, but once he started at Calvin the frequency and quality of their conversations had dwindled.  The few conversations they were having were marked at best by monosyllabic responses to dad’s and mom’s questions.

This dad expressed a concern that I believe resonates with other college parents:  “Am I loosing my son/daughter?  Should we be concerned?”

Although I’m not an expert on these matters, I shared that I’ve talked to many Calvin parents and this experience is not uncommon.  Here are a few points we discussed:

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