Comments on: Helicopter Parents Negotiate Salaries

By: Ms. Theologian

Ms. Theologian — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:55:38 +0000

I think if we had stats in the article from your dad or other counselors in which he recorded calls for parents in different categories (asking for tutoring for kids, asking for sit-downs with teachers, or pleading for additional time for assignments) over time and there was a discernible increase, it would make the article a lot stronger. Again, it’s not that I totally doubt it exists as a phenomenon since I remember it from teaching, and I’m willing to believe that Baby Boomer parents are more…uhm….active, it’s just the way the article (and a bunch of the NYT pieces lately) are written that really galls me.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:07:56 +0000

My dad is a guidance counselor and says it seems to have worsened over the years. Not that that confirms or denies it as new. But I do get the sense it has gotten worse and more widespread. My partner is a professor and parents regularly email him about their college kids’ grades. Ugg.

By: Ms. Theologian

Ms. Theologian — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:30:27 +0000

Thank you for identifying what I couldn’t. It’s really opinion, and is in the same category as “types of women to date” in Men’s Health, which is to say it’s not objective reporting in any sense and the incidents are all anecdotal and not based around data or supported by anything other than an opinion.

By: h sofia

h sofia — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:28:20 +0000

*sigh* Another opinion piece passing as journalism in national newspapers. These “types” apply to parents of kids who are two years old. When the kids grow to be 20 - or even 30 - sometimes this type of interaction is all that’s left of the relationship they had with a parent.

By: Ms. Theologian

Ms. Theologian — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:08:57 +0000

Oh, I think the phenomenon exists. I just doubt it’s a new trend. It’s been a while since I taught high school, but even then I remember all sorts of parental pressure for grades and privileges….

By: Comrade Kevin

Comrade Kevin — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:35:46 +0000

I can certainly vouch for all of these. One of the reasons I no longer work as a high school teacher’s assistant is because of having to deal with the micro-managing parents. The kids weren’t nearly as bad as the parents.

By: Ms. Theologian

Ms. Theologian — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:21:21 +0000

Oh, I believe it’s real…I just don’t think it’s necessarily a new trend so much as a made up NYT trend. I can remember this going on when we were in school. Even so, I enjoy a good story.

By: GhostGirl

GhostGirl — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:41:04 +0000

Saw this posted on Fark–and they all had their own stories to tell. I have also seen horror stories on other sites. Apparently and unfortunately, this is a very real phenomenon.