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How are you preparing for the college years? The question came into one of my QaA Saturday features on Instagram stories recently. I loved how the question was worded because it wasn't, "How are you financially preparing for college?" Or, "How are you preparing your kids academically for college?" Or even, "How are your kids preparing for college?" Instead, it was more of a holistic approach about preparing for the college years as a whole. In this week's episode of The Crystal Paine Show, Jesse and I take a deep dive into our thoughts on this topic. We discuss things like: Why we're not requiring our kids to go to college and how we're approaching the topic of college Why we're focusing most on preparing our kids to be adults not college students What success looks like as a parent (and it's maybe not what you think!) How we start slowly "launching" our kids from the time they are little. Why we have lots of discussions and debates in our home Why one of our goals as parents is to give our kids opportunities to stand alone How we're seeking to build strong foundations for our marriage in preparation for our kids to be grown and gone In This Episode:  [00:33] We are chatting all about how we’re preparing for the college years. [02:57] Why we’re not taking the same approach for each child. [05:33] College isn’t necessarily the one way to a successful future. [06:28] Our main focusing is preparing the kids to be adults. [09:07] What is the real marker of success as a parent? [11:41] Letting our kids figure out situations on their own should start at very early ages. [14:14] Why we have had lots of conversations with our kids throughout their childhoods. [16:41] It’s important to teach your kids how to think logically and thoroughly. [20:07] One of the books I’ve been reading lately is Mama Bear Apologetics -- I think it's a worthwhile read for every Christian parent. [21:08] We need to expose our children to different viewpoints and activities. [24:18] We’ve also spent a lot of time preparing for and allowing our children to have moments where they have to stand on their own to build their confidence. [25:38] It has also been extremely important for us to approach the college years with lots of prayer. [27:07] This whole process is not just about launching your kids. [30:09] What advice do you have for us? Links and Resources: Mama Bear Apologetics 10-Days to Be a Happier Mom Sign up for the Hot Deals Email List MoneySavingMom.com My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!) Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: crystal@moneysavingmom.com