How to Stay Connected with Your Kids in College in an Uncertain World
- 09/27/2025
- Posted by: Strata
- Category: Blog
Love, Wisdom, and Preparing for Antisemitism
Sending your kids off to college is a milestone filled with mixed emotions of pride and excitement. As parents, we spend years nurturing and guiding our children, and then, suddenly, we stand at the threshold of their next big adventure.
For Jewish parents, this transition comes with an added layer of concern. There’s the reality of antisemitism on college campuses. Since October 7, 2023, we’ve seen a troubling rise in anti-Jewish sentiment, misinformation, and indoctrination spread by Islamic jihadists and affiliated organizations who’ve become integrated into our educational system.
So, how do we prepare our children for this reality while maintaining that strong, loving connection as they leave home?
The Emotional Reality of Letting Go
When I took my middle son, Aaron, to college for his first year, I thought I was ready. I was the mom who always pushed my kids to go out, to travel, and even to live abroad. But when it came time to leave him at college, I was a complete mess.
After helping him settle into his dorm and saying goodbye, I got back in my car and lost it. I was hysterical, literally crying on the highway until I had to pull over because I couldn’t see through my tears. A mix of pride and loss hit me all at once. For some reason, I did not have this reaction with my oldest son or youngest son when I took them to school, but with Aaron, it was intense.
As I was crying on Route 80, I really could not think beyond my feelings of loss. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what was happening. I was having a hard time with change. The relationship was changing and evolving as my boys were no longer home and were becoming independent.
The relationship with your children doesn’t end when they leave for college. It just changes.
The Power of Daily Connection
Young adults live on their phones. Don’t fight it, use it. They’re not picking up when you call. They don’t want to have conversations, but they’re absolutely reading your texts.
I discovered this when I started messaging my sons daily. Not because I expected anything in return, but because I wanted to change the entire dynamic of our relationship. Instead of every text being a reminder or command, I decided to share something meaningful. Something that said, “I love you, you’re worthy, and here’s some wisdom I’m learning.”
A daily message can be a quote that inspires you, some encouragement, or just “thinking of you today.” The point isn’t their response. It’s about showing up consistently, unconditionally. It’s about sharing the light and wisdom you’ve gained, rather than just managing their lives.
My own mother figured this out when she started texting my boys every morning: “Hello, have a nice day.” Simple, but it meant everything to them. You, too, can build this connection.
Once you start, it becomes natural and heart-centered. You’re building more than a texting habit. You’re building a bridge. You’re sharing love at the highest frequency, and that changes everything.
Prepare for Campus Antisemitism: No Sugar-Coating
This daily connection becomes even more crucial when we consider the antisemitism children might face on campus. Our kids are stepping onto college campuses where it’s not just a possibility; it can be a fact. And it’s not subtle anymore. It’s professors spouting lies about Israel, students getting surrounded for wearing a Star of David, and campus groups chanting for the death of Jews while calling it “free speech.”
Just last week, Charles Kirk, an American political activist, was shot and killed while speaking at a University of Utah campus event with over 3,000 attendees. Charlie Kirk was shot the day before 9/11, a day of mourning, when Islamic terrorists attacked the US. The only difference between then and now is that attacking Western values is the norm. Though Charlie wasn’t Jewish, he was a strong supporter of Israel, which became a defining part of his public image. He fought against the lies and spoke firmly to defend Judeo-Christian values and ethics.
You can be the daily anchor for your children, providing a message to counteract the negativity. Messages of love and support ground your kids against the hate. Sharing wisdom can take the form of sharing truth and facts. This will help empower, as knowledge is power, and unfortunately, today, truth and knowledge are being subverted in schools.
Help by connecting them to Hillel or Chabad on Campus. You can form a chat group to provide support through messaging. There is no sugar coating anti-semitism and hate, but you can strengthen your kid’s resilience, confidence, sense of identity, and courage to lead so that they are not intimidated.
As the Jewish New Year Approaches
As we approach Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays, this season of reflection and renewal offers the perfect opportunity to deepen these daily connections. The Jewish calendar reminds us that every ending is also a beginning, and sending our children into the world is about personal and spiritual growth.
Your daily messages during this season might include reflections on the holidays, hopes for the new year, or reminders that no matter how far they go, they carry our love and our values with them. Share what gratitude and forgiveness are about and how the shofar’s call reminds us to wake up to what matters most.
These messages are building spiritual and emotional resilience for whatever challenges lie ahead.
Connection in Uncertain Times
A daily message is more than staying in touch. It is a way to reinforce your child’s identity, share truth, and remind them they’re not alone. Whether you’re sharing wisdom about resilience, pride in heritage, or just letting them know you’re thinking of them, you’re building something powerful.
In a world that often feels uncertain, chaotic, and hostile, the connection and bridge built one message at a time is the greatest gift we can give our children.
Ready to start building this daily habit of connection? My book “Text Messages to My Sons: A Guide to Using Mobile Devices to Connect and Communicate with Your Kids” offers practical strategies and message ideas to strengthen these vital bonds during life’s most significant transitions.
Here are some resources to help you combat antisemitism:
https://macastrong.org/ (Mothers against college antisemitism)
https://www.campusfairness.org/