We’ve all seen it. On the first day students move into the residence halls, there are always a group of first-years with parents who don’t know when to stop. The parents who ask a million questions and worry about every minute detail of their child’s life as they send their child off on his or her journey on the Hilltop.
Ed Board understands these “my precious baby is going to college” feelings parents have. Ed Board’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Board, did the same thing when we moved into Boaz back in the day.
But, what happens when parents can’t let go after move in day? The parents who can’t go a single day without multiple phone calls to their child, constantly checking up on them and even going as far as calling the school to complain about how their child has been treated unfairly by a professor?
Helicopter parents are increasingly becoming more prevalent in the college culture. The biggest reason parents are getting more involved with their child’s college life is the cell phone. The long distance is free, and many students have cell phone numbers with their home area code, making it just as cheap to place a call in Dallas as it is to call a neighbor across the street.
The problem has become so severe that colleges are now stepping in to help parents become more comfortable with the idea of sending their child away to college.
Ed Board has some advice for these helicopter parents and their children.
Parents: If you are this invested in ensuring your child’s success in college, chances are you spent considerable time and effort raising him. Take a break: You’ve done your job, and now its time to sit back, relax and let your child put to good use the years of advice that you have instilled in him or her. If you give your child a chance, he or she will probably impress you. Let your child make mistakes and learn from the experience. That knowledge is just as important to the college experience as what professors are teaching in the classrooms.
Students: If you have helicopter parents, be patient. Try to remember they are only doing this because they love you and want to see you be successful. While you can be understanding, it’s also important to stand your ground and let your parents know when enough is enough. If you don’t communicate to them that there is a problem, then they will not know they need to change. When you do talk to your parents about the problem, let them know you appreciate their concern, but you need space to grow and mature. Let them know they’ve done a good job as parents.
Ed Board feels open communication between parents and students is the best way to resolve this issue, and both parties need to be able to step back and realize what’s best for students.
