Back to School Tips for Modern Parents (with Giveaway)

This Giveaway is Now Closed

I am sharing this information as a member of the Fox Home ENT Insiders Blogging program. They are providing me with a free Blu-ray copy of Modern Family: Season 4 for review. They are also providing a copy for giveaway to one of my blog readers. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. 

Available on Blu-ray & DVD September 24 

In Season 4, we watched as Haley went off to college and Lily had her first day of Kindergarten. These are two big steps that are often very hard for parents to handle. Here is some advice for all of those modern parents out there who are going through these transitional stages with their families.

The laughs – and the awards – just keep on coming for the #1-rated “Modern Family,” winner of three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series! With Jay and Gloria’s baby on the way and Haley going off to college, the entire Pritchett/Dunphy clan faces some major surprises as they bicker and bond over house-flipping headaches, unwanted play dates, and everything from hot-tempered hormones to in utero karaoke. Featuring a stellar array of guest stars including Matthew Broderick, Shelley Long and Elizabeth Banks, Season Four takes a heartfelt and laugh-out-lough hilarious look at what it means to be a “Modern Family.”

Back to School Tips for Modern Parents 

 Set Guidelines

Before you send off your precious son or daughter to fend for their selves in college, make sure you clearly discuss guidelines. Remind them that even though you are not there to set specific rules, they are still responsible for their actions. Claire and Phil certainly know what it’s like when your daughter calls you one night because they’ve been caught doing illegal things by the police.

 Prepare Your Little One

Kindergarten is a huge step for your little one! Make sure they are prepared for their big day by giving them a basic educational foundation and teaching them to play well with others. When Lily heads off to kindergarten and gets in a tousle on her first day, Cam and Mitchell are put in a very awkward situation. No parent wants to be in the same situation!

 Communication is Key

Set up specific times to continue growing as a family. There is a fine line between suffocating your college kid and staying informed about what’s going on in their life. Many families will select a certain time, for instance Sunday afternoons, to have family phone calls and catch up on the week’s happenings, even if they have talked throughout the week. Just because your son or daughter has moved out, it does not mean that your relationship has to suffer! In fact, sometimes parent-child relationships grow once the kid has left for college. 

Distract Yourself

Plan a fun activity for yourself right after dropping your son of in his college dorm room or leaving your daughter for the first day of kindergarten. Have a distraction for yourself so that you don’t find yourself at home looking through photo albums and wondering “how did the time go by so quickly?” These steps are exciting, but certainly emotional and you don’t want to wallow in your sorrows.

 Show You Care

No matter what age your child is, make sure you are sharing in their excitement! Whether you have a kindergartener bringing home a painting or a college student signing up for campus activities, ask them questions about their life and listen to their answers. Celebrate with them when they ace an exam or learn to count to 20.

GIVEAWAY
One Alas 3 Lads reader will win a copy of Modern Family: Season 4 on Blu-ray c/o Fox Home ENT Insiders. *Giveaway is open only to U.S. residents who are 18 or older. Entries will be accepted until 10:00 pm EST on Sept. 26, 2013. At that time, one random winner will be selected from all eligible entries. Please make sure I have a valid way to contact you in case you are the winner*

Mandatory Entry: 
Leave a comment on this blog post telling me your favorite Modern Family character or just tell me something funny about your own "modern family"

Optional Extra Entries (leave separate comment for each):
- Follow @alas3lads on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in comment)
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Enter to win Modern Family Season 4 on Blu-ray c/o @FHEInsiders and @alas3lads #MyModernFamilyBD -http://tinyurl.com/q8offkc