Top Priority Things to do to prepare Child to leave home for studies

Lately, my mind is divided among many priorities. At work, between projects, negotiations and deadlines. At home, tuition for schooling kids, preparatory works for the ones leaving home for further studies. On  health, giving my kids Vitamin C to fight common cold; visiting aging parents who are seriously ill and bed ridden. The list can go on. So many things to accomplish, so little time and deadlines are imminently close ! 

I thought I pen it down what are the key priority things to do to prepare our young adult kids to be ready to leave home and to help them to set up a new living quarter thousand miles away, functional, livable and fun to overcome the lonely winter homesickness. I am more fearful that they will miss home than they don't. If they do not miss home, if they could totally gel in to the new home, that be a relief ! But, looking at  how they have been brought up, groomed by parents, pampered by the maid, they will surely miss home big time ! That is my greatest fear if they do not know how to live on their own at this tender age of 17 or 19  years old.

In my head, here is the Top Ten To Do list for preparation to leave  home but in real life, it cannot be fulfilled just like that. So here are the Top Priority of Things To Do :-

1. Talk Deeply with the child - We have to talk with them the new life to begin, we have to walk through with them the new lifestyle beginning with the  mental picture. We need to set the moral compass to point to true "north" so that no matter what happens, they can follow their hearts home and find their paths back to us, their loving parents who supply beyond their materials needs. We also need to set the boundaries of things, the finances, relationships, religions, principles, what we hope they can uphold. At times, we sound like nagging but half of the times we are begging. He is bearing our family name and upholding our family honour as he goes forth to make a new life in search of knowledge. 
2. New Items just for for him - The excitement of starting a home-away-from-home boils down to getting those essential new items just for him. The list can be personalised but it has to be comprehensive. Here are some items we are buying for them. Rice Cooker, Laptop, Tablet or Ipad (bring over current one), Smart Phone & Camera, Bed Sheets, New sets of Luggage (3 in 1 package), Maggie mee by the box, special stationary to last a year, Jackets and warm clothing,
3. Survival Home Cooking Recipes - How to make the Rice Cooker a magic pot, cooking a hundred dishes out of it. Teens' Survival cooking has to be taught. They will miss Asean food and they must be able to cook a few local dishes to bring to International events or just to create wow factor for any gathering.
4. Financial Preparation - dad's paper works has to be in order. The full cost has to be made known to the child, what are the obligation of parents and what is expected of him. Nowadays, University does offer scholarship based on marks, eg 70% will give 40% discount on the course fee, it is very desirable to let the child aim for that.  
5. Saying Goodbyes - Making note to relatives especially the elderly is very important and we should make time and take time to create memories for them. This could be their last good bye to some of the elderly relatives. We just have to check this out as completed.
6. Set the academic goals with them - Tell them how long is the course, what options are there after the graduation, do they want to work there or come back immediately, do you want them to come back soonest, if they choose to work there, what grades they must achieve, they should not be naive about it. For sure, they will only keep top students to work there. The rest to be sent home. Whether there is enough budget to embark on Post graduate studies, Whether they are required to help finance the younger siblings in the future. All these and more, need to be discussed and spelled out what are our parental expectations from this academic pursuits. 
7. Connect him to the local people as much as possible - They are going to a foreign land and thousands miles away from home. They can survive as lone ranger but they will enjoy their stay more if we could connect them to some local folks who are our friends or from church contacts. In case of emergency, at least the local people are closer to them than us. 
8. Set the living budget with them - with the high cost of living, we need to discuss how to objectively achieve lodging and food to be below 5000 or 7000 sterling pounds a year. We need to give them a figure per week which they should aim to maintain. What is not spoken is often take for granted and neglected as not important, so its best to spell out what is the weekly budget for living and to work through how to maintain the budget. Should they need some extra money, they should consider working on weekends or summer holidays so that their holidays are paid by themselves.
9. Connect them in Social Media prior to Leaving - Create family Whatsapp Group, Facebook private group so that we can maintain contacts as family members. The connection should be done while they are still here. Learn to have virtual discussions with them. The Gen Y and Z operates in the things of Internet and their life is in social media. Teach them what to post and what not to post in Internet. Be connected to them in FB, Whatsapp, Instagram so that you be the first to know what they post in social media.
10. Let them know how deep is your love for them - We need to articulate the price we are willing to pay out of this deep for them. Yes, education can cause mum and dad an arm and a leg but we will still do it, Although we are not perfect, not all sufficient but we will provide to the best of our ability ! Bear in mind though, there is a limit to our resources but no limit in our love for them. No matter what, they are still our children, our kids, forever in our heart.