Summer Between High School Graduation and College is a Critical Time for Preventing Risky Behaviors – Here’s How Parents Can Play a Key Role

Context

The summer before college is usually spent buying extra-long twin sheets and packing boxes. Writing on 9 June 2026, two prevention scientists suggest families are missing a much harder preparation window. For decades, the standard advice told parents to step back and let their teenagers figure out campus life on their own. The authors argue that this hands-off approach misreads what eighteen-year-olds actually need when they suddenly face intense social pressure and zero curfews. The essay pauses on a practical tension: how do adults maintain a safety net without hovering?

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