Take the Test; Are you a helicopter parent?
by: Dr.CasperPoodel |
Total views: 3 |
Word Count: 340 | Print View
Many college administrators are parents themselves, thus they realize how difficult parenting can be. And, they know from experience how much parents want for their sons and daughters.
However, just ask a college dean, faculty member, or residence hall director about his/her interactions with helicopter parents, and you will soon see how unwelcome they are on college campuses.
What is a so-called helicopter parent? Just remember that a helicopter can hover almost endlessly, and you have your answer. "Although college is the time when most parents, like it or not, 'let go' of their children", says a dean at a southern university, "helicopter parents slow their kids' growth by being unable or unwilling to do so, so everybody loses".
Are you guilty of being a helicopter parent? Take this test. One affirmative answer means you probably are; two affirmative answers erases all doubt, and three positive responses means you have some real work to do.
1. On college visits, did you talk to students and staff more than your child did?
2. During college visits, did you respond to questions addressed to your son/daughter or add to his/her answers?
3. Did you participate in filling out your child's college applications?
4. Did you help write the admissions essay?
5. If your son or daughter experiences roommate difficulties, would you consider speaking to the roommate or a college official?
6. Would you contact your child's instructor if he/she were having difficulty in a class?
7. Did you rule out a college within a 5-6 drive of your home because you thought it was too far away?
What have you learned about yourself? Do you think you need to make some changes so that your child will learn to be more self-reliant? There are almost never easy answers to parenting questions once a child has reached his/her late teens, but if we ask ourselves the right questions, and analyze our answers, we'll have a much better chance of doing what is best for our children. Good luck.
About the Author
Dr. Casper Poodel is very interested in online education of all kinds. His websites are on subjects including online schools, how to choose an online college and how to earn an accredited online degree.
Rating: Not yet rated
