I stumbled upon a 2011 post from my past blog titled “Advice for the Teen Years.” It was written in honor of our youngest becoming an official teen and our oldest celebrating her Sweet 16.

Before the end of this month, they—as well as the sister sandwiched between them–will head to their chosen universities as freshman, sophomore, and senior. So I tweaked the list—only slightly—to fit this chapter of their life stories. Here’s some motherly advice, in no particular order, and certainly not exhaustive!

• Listen to something other than Top 40 once in a while to broaden your musical tastes.

• Shoving everything under your bed is NOT the same as cleaning. That goes for our home, and your dorm, apartment, and future homes.

• If you’re stressed because you saved all your homework for Sunday night, do not call me expecting sympathy. Same goes for term papers/projects left till the last minute.

• Never fall for the phrase, “I want your honest opinion.”

• Never date a guy you know would make a lousy husband or father, no matter how cool or good-looking you think he is. Things happen, and parenthood links two people for life.

• Pay a little more for 2-ply. You’ll use twice as much 1-ply anyway, and it tends to be rough.

• Your faith in God and opinions on religion will fluctuate throughout your life. Read, pray, question, and keep going to church, even when you feel it’s a waste of time. Like a garden, spirituality must be nurtured.

• Don’t eat cake alone. It gets caught in your throat easily and it’s hard to call for help. If you must indulge, keep a glass of milk or water handy.

• Remember that home is where your story began. We gave you roots. Now test your wings. But please come back often to tell us about the wonderful things you’ve done and seen.

If you’re parenting a teen or young adult, what advice would you add? Leave a comment!