[Becky]

I have some friends who recently sent their oldest daughter off to college. The frustration they are having is that whenever they call her she's "just on her way out" or when she calls home it seems everyone is busy.

What worked for me during my college years was setting aside a specific window of time each week for a phone call home. sometimes ten minutes of chatting was enough before I just had to go to a friend's dorm , but other weeks it was nice to spend an hour or more catching up on all of the details of my family's lives.

As my family and I continue to live half a nation apart, I still enjoy building our relationships long distance with phone calls home.

[BikerBabe]

Yes, a phone call on your way to work is nice. Whatever works to allow a little communication and keep each other updated and to let them know you care.

[Nathan]

Some other options might include:

1) Getting her a cell phone on a family plan so she has unlimited minutes to talk with her parents. If she doesn't have to pay for it, she is more likely to call her parents when it is convenient for her. With a cell phone she is also more likely to call her parents at random times she feels like talking but isn't at home.

2) I also recommend that they try to communicate in some of the popular communications mediums of the day, such as instant messaging on the computer, text messaging on cell phones and e-mailing.

3) A couple of calling cards or a toll-free number on her parents' cell phone that she can call might help too.

[bluetree]

the unlimited family plan is a great way to go. much better than my old sprint bills each month which were much higher that a mobile bill would have been.

[beth]

Asking your college-age offspring to email you at a regular time is a great way of ensuring that they stay in touch. Sometimes it's just too hard to phone home when you're a student but dashing off a quick email is easy as they don't have to get involved in a long conversation yet they are still maintaining contact and you know they're OK. Most kids will oblige with this as it's so easy for them and there's no risk of getting "trapped" on the phone when they want to do something else, like even, study! They can supplement these regular emails with phone calls when its convenienct for them. That way, everyone's happy.

[annharth]

I agree with the emailing suggestion. I tend to be more comfortable with email as there is a specific beginning and end. I am in control of the limits of the conversation. Maybe there could be a specific time that student and parents talk each week unless informed otherwise through email. I wish we had it when I was at college. I would have written home much more often than I ever called. Dorm life is nothing if not unpredictable.

[mcmama]

We e mail a lot - text messaging also works, the kids are addicted to it. And the cell phone is a great way to keep in touch. Dorm life can sometimes be unpredictable. Once when the phone connections did not work, my son was able to get an urgent message to me via text, and I could reply sending it to his e mail. You truly never lose touch today!