8 Tips for Parents on How to Select a Good Hostel for Your Child

Career building is one of the most important decision for the life of your child. And for that you pay a lot of hard earned money to educational institutes. Make sure that you are also choosing his/her food and stay carefully by using some of these tips and help your child with the best environment for success.

1. Ask Yourself, “Why am I here?”: The first and most important question is to ask “Why am I here, looking for a hostel to keep my child ? Am I serious about helping him/her in career building ?” Honest answering this question will decide everything else for your child and you.
2. Don’t Hurry, But Take Your Time: If you, your family and your child are serious about career building then make sure that you take the time. Many families come in a rush and then put their child in the very first hostel they can find and the child suffers unnecessary problems. Don’t do that!! Take your time –your child will spend many months (possibly a whole year) in the place you choose – so do your job well.
3. Ask for (the right) References: Use reference of those that should be relied upon. Often the best is the counsellor of the educational institute or someone who cares for your child’s success. Good institutes make the effort of finding good hostels and telling them of it. Also ask reference of other (good) students or people from families similar to yours.
4. Check Everything: When you visit a hostel then check everything – check the exact room and bathroom your child will have, (really)check the hygiene of the kitchen, speak to the warden or caretaker to see if they will take good care of your child or not. Check how are the rooms of other students. Why? Because how other students live will tell you about the discipline and seriousness of the place. Ask yourself, do I want my kid to be with this kind of kids.
5. Be Smart About Saving Time and Money: Some people want the cheapest hostel and some want the nearest. If you only go for the cheapest then all the other money (such as tuition fee, etc) is being put at risk (not to mention, the whole purpose of coming away from home for career building). If you only go for the nearest, then lets see this calculation. Your child will spend about 14 to 18 hours per day in the Hostel/PG. Don’t compromise on the quality of 14 to 18 hours, just to save 15 minutes of transportation time. Be smart.
6. Don’t Pay too Much Upfront and Keep Your Options Open: Some parents make the mistake of paying the money for many months in advance. And then find out that the hostel is not providing good service after 1 or 2 months. The money gets stuck and the child suffers. Pay the fee each month, and keep the hostel operator on his/her toes to continue with good service.
7. Pay Straight to The Hostel: Its common practice for parents to give money to kids and then the kids stay in a cheap place (compromising their well being) and spend the rest of money for their own wishes. Don’t let the child fall into this temptation. Pay the hostel directly and pay via bank or debit card if possible. If the hostel wants to make black income and wont accept any money on record, find another place that will accept money on the record.
8. Negotiate: And finally, negotiate. Many hostels will offer you cheaper prices if you negotiate. But don’t take it personally if a hostel does not lower its prices – hostels that have a good perations will not negotiate.