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'Helicopter parents' still hover even as grads pound pavement
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070705/news_1n5parents.html ^ | July 5, 2007 | Eleanor Yang Su

Posted on 07/05/2007 3:20:53 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

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"The question in everyone's mind is what's next? Will parents call employers when their children receive unsatisfactory raises? When they're passed up for a promotion?

'Where does it stop?' said Scott, the recruiting consultant. 'Why would you think it would stop now? The whole thing is just mind-boggling."

EXACTLT!

These "helicopter parents" could very well be turning loose onto society a bunch of whiney sniveling dependent brats.

Let's hope that this bad behavior which has been exhibited by too many baby boomers will not be passed along to their kids.

Well...one can at least hope.

1 posted on 07/05/2007 3:20:57 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
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To: DogByte6RER

Failure of the parent is what it indicates to me.

Part of parenting success I thought was teaching the bird to fly and LEAVE the nest.

We are raising a lot of woosies with cell phones glued to their heads for feedback on every decision and challenge in life.

We need more people who can think and act alone!


2 posted on 07/05/2007 3:24:30 PM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
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To: DogByte6RER
I wonder if these “helicopter parents” did the same thing during grade school? Did they wait until college to get “involved”? I doubt it. One of the favorite remedies for public education’s dismal results is that we need more involvement from parents.
3 posted on 07/05/2007 3:26:55 PM PDT by Jaysun (It's like people who hate corn bread and hate anchovies, but love cornchovie bread.)
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To: DogByte6RER

On the other hand, perhaps parents who have sunk over $100K into their child’s education expect the university to have given the student some marketable skill which will give them a decent return on their investment. Many universities should be sued for failing to deliver their end of the bargain.


4 posted on 07/05/2007 3:27:45 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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To: DogByte6RER

“Rowena Paz’s parents did everything they could to help her land a good job after college.”

Let me guess. She got a liberal arts degree with no practical knowledge of anything.


5 posted on 07/05/2007 3:29:47 PM PDT by gcruse
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To: Names Ash Housewares
Failure of the parent is what it indicates to me. Part of parenting success I thought was teaching the bird to fly and LEAVE the nest.

Perfectly summed up!

6 posted on 07/05/2007 3:34:45 PM PDT by PacesPaines
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To: DogByte6RER
“If you're the employer,” she said, “how do you groom someone for a management or leadership role when they're still tied by an umbilical cord to their parent?”

You don't. You groom the independent employee.

7 posted on 07/05/2007 3:35:53 PM PDT by randog (What the...?!)
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To: Names Ash Housewares

How is this any different that the dad who eases his son (or daughter or whatever) into the family business?


8 posted on 07/05/2007 3:37:26 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Fred Thompson)
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To: DogByte6RER

I’m part of the Millennial Generation. I expect my parents to stay hands-off unless I come to them for advice on an issue. The idea of “helicopter parents” is horrifying to me, although I did have roommates in college who’s parents certainly fit that description.


9 posted on 07/05/2007 3:39:42 PM PDT by The Blitherer (What would a Free Man do?)
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To: DogByte6RER

This is another in a series of stories that have no basis and no reason being written, let alone being printed.

The present generation is not all Paris Hilton wannabes or Ugly Betty misfits; they’re just another bunch of young kids still figuring out what thet want to do and be.


10 posted on 07/05/2007 3:40:28 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: DogByte6RER
"You can't fire me! I'm telling Mom on you..."
11 posted on 07/05/2007 3:42:39 PM PDT by Doctor Raoul (What's the difference between the CIA and the Free Clinic? The Free Clinic knows how to stop leaks.)
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To: Jaysun
I wonder if these “helicopter parents” did the same thing during grade school? Did they wait until college to get “involved”?

The "helicopter parents" that I know did it from day one. While I worked as a classroom assistant, I saw some of these parents at school constantly. Parent involvement at school can be a good thing, but there is a point where it can become too much of a good thing (and I say that as a parent who tried to be involved at an appropriate level).

12 posted on 07/05/2007 3:42:50 PM PDT by PacesPaines
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To: DogByte6RER
While I roll my eyes about how far some of these “helicopter parents” go to control their kids’ lives, I don’t think these people represent a big problem for society. It is the parents who make a point of not getting married before they have their kids, or who disappear from their kids’ lives, who cause the real problems. Think of those two women in Philadelphia who last month went to a party and left their seven children alone for the evening: five of those kids died in a fire that night. When I read stories like that, I am much less annoyed by dorks who send their kids’ resumes into HR departments.
13 posted on 07/05/2007 3:49:04 PM PDT by utahagen
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To: DogByte6RER

On the day my older son graduated from college he asked me, “Dad can I stay at your place till I get on my feet and find a job”? I had already anticipated his request prior to his asking. I told him, “Sure you can but you are going to have to sleep on the floor because I got rid of your bed last week”. About six months later he thanked me for not letting him stay with me.


14 posted on 07/05/2007 3:50:52 PM PDT by skimask ("Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated"....George Bernard Shaw)
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To: The Blitherer

You should call my daughter and have a nice chat. I still hover, although she’s in her 30’s.

It’s what I do. Sorry. Wouldn’t call an employer but ...


15 posted on 07/05/2007 3:59:36 PM PDT by altura
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To: DogByte6RER

I can go along with some of it, but going to their kid’s professor to argue about a grade, or tagging along on job interviews is a little nutty.

My son is going to apply for a job tomorrow, whether he likes it or not, and his “step dad” is driving him. We’re “empty refrigerator” parents ;)


16 posted on 07/05/2007 4:23:01 PM PDT by TheSpottedOwl (Head Caterer for the FIRM)
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To: DogByte6RER
Many are split on whether the well-intentioned actions of over-involved parents help or hurt a student's job search.

Whenever I received a resume from a parent on behalf of his/her child, it immediately went into the circular file.

17 posted on 07/05/2007 4:39:06 PM PDT by JoeGar
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To: Jaysun

The public school that my son attends keeps on saying how they like parental involvement.

Well, I’ve complained about quite a few things, but with the complaints has come solutions to the problems and offers to help fix the problems.

One of my complaints was that several of his teachers this past year would not input the students grades onto an online website for parents to see. I offered to come in an input the grades. I could have easily come in for an hour a week and entered grades, but the teachers never called, and the grades were not entered in a timely fashion.

I’ve asked to get a directory for the families in my son’s classes, but the school can’t figure out a way of doing that. I could even send in a form for the parents to fill out for each of my son’s classes and then I could make up the directories, but the teachers don’t want my help.

I think if I am paying for something, then I want information.

I’ve actually had more problems with the teachers screwing up than my son screwing up. Teachers have said my son did not do work, but I keep all of his work during the school year in case there is a problem. I’ve had to send back graded assignments so that they are entered in correctly.

My son is only 12, and he’s starting to take responsibility for some of this. However, whenever I step out of the loop and let him handle something, the teachers screw things up.

Last year, the computer center was closed when my son needed to take an online computer test. He had to take the test after school (as per class policy), and the only day available for him to stay after school was the day before the due date. The school failed to notify parents that the computer center was going to be closed, and the school did not post the closure on their website. The only notification that it was going to be closed was during morning announcements, and my son can’t hear the announcements because of other children talking.

The next day, my son went to his teacher and told her what happened. The teacher gave him a zero for the assignment, and the assignment was worth 10% of his grade. She didn’t help to get him on a computer. She didn’t offer another solution. She let another kid type up a report and send it to her after school, but she didn’t let my son do this.

I just don’t trust public educators and what they say about parents. I think that public educators just don’t like the scrutiny.


18 posted on 07/05/2007 4:44:35 PM PDT by luckystarmom
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To: TheSpottedOwl

I have a special needs daughter, and when she’s in college I am going to be the most hovering parent around.

She’s going to need someone around to help her, just like Helen Keller needed someone around to help her navigate college.

I may even tag along on job interviews if I have to.

My daughter doesn’t speak well, and probably never will.

I’ll help her as much as I can until I can’t anymore.

She’s only 10 now. I think she’ll be able to live on her own and hold a job when she grows up. However, I’ll help her along the way.

My other 2 kids won’t need as much help.


19 posted on 07/05/2007 4:50:54 PM PDT by luckystarmom
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To: gcruse

Yeah, Google and Cisco Systems will hire ANYBODY.

Helps to read the whole article...


20 posted on 07/05/2007 5:04:09 PM PDT by vikk
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