Why You Should Call Your Parents More

By Maria Martinez
Blog Content Contributor

College students live hectic lives. Our days normally revolve around waking up, sitting in class, then going to work or an internship and finally doing homework and projects. We barely have enough time in the day to eat and sleep well. It is common that we sometimes forget to send texts or call our loved ones every day, but we truly shouldn’t forget about them. Every time I talk to my parents, I always feel so much better because they always have the right words for me.

Think about this; have you ever received a call you weren’t expecting and it made your day? Well, for your parents getting a call from you will be a pleasant surprise. It will make their day so much better knowing they were on your mind, and they will feel special knowing you made a little space from your crazy schedule to let them know you were still alive (believe me, many times, this is all they want to know). I sometimes feel bad that I am not the one making the calls, but rather receiving them. However, my parents have always been really understanding on this issue. They know I sometimes don’t call them, not because I don’t love them anymore, that of course will never happen, but because I have so much in my plate that it is hard to get everything done with so little time.

A 2012 poll from Clark University found that 55% of millennials reported texting or otherwise contacting their parents daily or almost every day, which is not bad. Our parents want to know what is going on with our lives. It is hard for them transitioning from seeing us every day to just seeing us once or twice every month, so by calling them, we are letting them still be part of our lives. I know when we get to college, we are looking for independence. We want to detach from our families because we want to feel we are adults now. We want to feel we are the ones controlling our own life. But the truth is, calling our parents will not make us less independent.

There are countless ways for me to get in touch with my parents, and I find that we’re often shifting from calls, text messages, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. In fact, we created a WhatsApp group chat where we are constantly texting, sending pictures or just funny memes all the time. This truly has helped me feel I am still close to them, whenever I have a bad day, they sure know how to brighten it. Also, it’s good to hear what is going on at home. Just as they want to know how am I doing, I like to know what has been up with them. I am Hispanic, and family is very important in our culture. For us “la familia es primero” which means family comes first. I know for a fact, that even when I get married and have my own kids, I will still call my parents every day.

Our parents are our biggest supporters. Whenever I learn something interesting in class, I get an A on a test or an award I call or text them because I know they will get so proud of me. They love to know every little achievement I make, because it is a triumph for them too. They have taken care of us since we were babies, imagine how proud they are of us now seeing how much we’ve grown and how many things we have accomplished by ourselves. My parents are always encouraging me to do my best at everything that I do, to not give up, even when I am dying because I bombed a test. They know what we are capable of, they surely want what it is best for us. So hearing those words is sometimes all we need to keep striving.

My parents will always be my number one inspiration. I really hope one day I can be half of what they are. They’ve taught me so much throughout my life, not just academically speaking, but also they have been the best models to learn how to be a good person. I really am who I am because of the values they inculcated in me. Our parents have lived a lot longer than us, they are wiser, more knowledgeable (well, clearly not with technology) and they know better than us. I don’t care what others might think, but I will still call my parents every day. There is nothing to be embarrassed of. It’s quite the opposite. We should be proud to have a strong bond with the people who will always love us unconditionally.

Featured image by Jennifer Servellon.