Surviving Winter Break with Family: Andrea Malkin Brenner on Staying Connected

In this episode, Lisa and Andrea discuss:

• Navigating family dynamics when college students return home for holidays and extended breaks
• Balancing student independence with household expectations during time at home
• Communicating effectively with teens and college students to reduce conflict around schedules, curfews, and responsibilities
• Supporting student identity development and deeper conversations during the transition home

Key Takeaways:

• Parents should set expectations early—before the student comes home—about rest needs, schedules, and non-negotiable family commitments.
• Curfew conversations work best when approached collaboratively, using “horizontal parenting” to negotiate reasonable times and communication.
• Students may return with new beliefs, identities, and peer relationships, so families should create space for deeper conversations and respond with curiosity rather than judgment.
• Parents should avoid tasks like laundry or over-caretaking, as these can unintentionally undermine the student’s developing independence.

“Colleges are ready to welcome messy, unfinished, unbaked, totally underbaked students. And those first couple of years are about figuring out who they are.” – Andrea Malkin Brenner

About Andrea Malkin Brenner: Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner is the President of AMBrenner, LLC and Founder of the Talking College™ brand, a speaker and college transition educator with 25 years as a “college insider.”

Episode References:

• Use Andrea’s Talking College Cards to spark meaningful family conversations about college transitions: https://www.ambrenner.com/shop
• Subscribe to Lisa’s newsletter for weekly tips to connect with your teen or young adult: flourishcoachingco.com/newsletter

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

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Connect with Andrea:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreamalkinbrenner/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ambrennerllc

Website: https://www.ambrenner.com/ & https://talkingcollege.com/

Book: How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You're There) by Andrea Malkin Brenner and Lara Hope Schwartz: https://www.amazon.com/How-College-Before-Youre-There/dp/1250225183

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-malkin-brenner-phd-135b43178

Email: [e-mail]

Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co