Dorm Room Shopping Overkill

Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen May 11, 2007

A few years ago, I was browsing through artwork at an expensive local festival. I overheard a conversation between a woman and her daughter. Apparently the daughter was going off to college soon, and the mother wanted to make sure she had one nice piece of sophisticated framed artwork for her room.

Come again?

In my dorm rooms, I had posters stuck to the walls. So did everyone else I knew, even the kids from wealthy families. When did spending on college dorm rooms become so out of control? Some parents and students are treating dorm room decorating as an expensive home improvement project.

Parents, you don't need to buy your child a room full of brand new and expensive things for their dorm room. Sure, you want to make sure they come equipped with dorm room necessities, and you may want to treat them to a nice cozy comforter set or something to make the room feel like home. But part of parenting a college freshman is letting your child take responsibility for his or her education and living situation. They need to learn how to keep track of their money and how to live frugally, because when else are they going to learn this?

It's tempting to want to spend as much money as you possibly can on your kids. But learning to let go is a gift as well. Your child will do just fine with posters. Trust me.