Can anyone help or think of ideas?

[devientenigma]

My dd 16yo is about to embark on a course 8 hours away from home and will be there for 2 weeks, staying in uni digs. The problem is my dd is so helpless when it comes to organisation, looking after herself, her possessions, cooking, ironing etc etc. She has problems with concentration and memory also. How can I best help her while there like I do at home? TIA x

I think you have to focus on what is the bare minimum for her to be able to manage, and hope that she picks it up from there. With the best will in the world, you can't 'look after' them the same when they are away from home.

Maybe go through a typical day with her and have her think about what it is she needs to cope with?

So - what are the provisions for food? Will she have to sort out her own breakfast?
Will she be getting the bus? Help her to look through the schedules and timetables to work out which one she needs to get, then work back to what time she needs to set her alarm.

Does she actualy need to cook? If so, surely she can manage to get a pizza from the fridge and into the oven? And do beans/cheese/eggs on toast? Add a piece of fruit and don't worry too much about balanced diet! Can she just get a cooked lunch during the course and have a snack in the evening?

If you get her to think through the day, she should be able to see wht aspects are likely to be a problem.

amumin has written what was going to and much better!

THink about the minimum she needs to do and make sure she can do it. Make lists together etc.

Also go through the " what ifs" that she's worrying about. What if I miss the train?- get the next but check you ticket is valid, what if I burn the tea- eat the bits that aren't black and fill up with cereal

etc etc

There's not a lot you can do, I wouldn't have thought. Except think that it is only two weeks she needs to get through.

My DS had to move away from home at 16, last year. He had no experience of organising himself, using a washing machine, cooking etc. And he had to start using public transport including the London Underground, which he had never had to do before.

All I can say is that it really doesn't take long for them to pick things up. It is a sharp learning curve.