Parents Are Walking To Class With Their College Freshmen — ‘They Were Supposed To Be Gone When You Moved Into The Dorm’
Helicopter parenting has reached a new level of insanity.
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock If you have fears about young people becoming independent contributors to society, you are not alone.
While there is nothing wrong with ensuring that your children know that they can feel safe and loved by you, it becomes a serious issue when they become dependent on you for everything — even finding their way to class on the first day of college.
One woman took to TikTok to share that she actually saw helicopter parents walking their college kids to class on the first day of school.
A woman shared on TikTok that she saw parents walking their college freshmen into class.
Those of us who attended college know just how nerve-wracking the transition can be. Most of us, however, did not rely on our parents to walk us to our classes.
That appears to be the norm on college campuses these days, according to a woman who goes by McNugget on TikTok.
“I think we really need to have a conversation about this generation of helicopter parents because what the [expletive],” the college senior shared in a TikTok video.
The woman said that as she was strolling campus on the first day of school, she noticed that some students were walking to class with their parents. “It wasn’t just like one or two kids. I saw on my way back to my car…. five kids having their parents walk them to class, backpacks in their hands and everything,” the woman said.
What she witnessed completely baffled her, believing that part of the reason parents send their children off to college was to develop a newfound independence to help them transition into adulthood.
“So why is your mommy here walking you to class?” she asked. “She was supposed to be gone after you moved into the dorms.”
The woman was not the only person to notice the increased level of parental involvement on college campuses nowadays.
“I’m an academic advisor — the number of adults in their 20s who still have their parents email me is growing exponentially,” one TikTok user commented.
“I have to send parents away during job interviews,” another user revealed.
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“I work in graduate admissions. I talk to way more parents than students these days,” another shared.
While it would be understandable for parents to walk their children in on their first day of pre-K, they should know how to find their way to class at 17 and 18 years old.
Parents need to understand that the best way to help their college-bound kids, in many cases, is not to help them at all.
Helicopter parenting does more harm than good for children because they inevitably lack the basic life skills they need to function independently. It also does a number on their self-esteem because they are not confident in their decision-making skills.
When children are raised by helicopter parents, they will depend on their guidance in every life encounter. If they cannot access help and are forced to rely on themselves, they can easily become overwhelmed and anxious, according to International School Parent.
Your children are going to struggle, encounter obstacles, and have hard days.
As a parent, you can offer them support, love, and a shoulder to cry on. However, it is not your job to intervene every time your child has a problem.
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Sometimes it is best to leave them to determine how they can tackle it on their own, which gives them the confidence and willpower to handle real-world challenges once they are adults and cannot — and should not — depend on their parents.
What new college students may need from their parents is a helping hand to move boxes into their dorm rooms, a little cash for groceries, and some heartfelt advice when it comes to first-day jitters.
What they do not need is Mom or Dad leading them to class, carrying their book bags, and introducing themselves to their professors. They should be taking these crucial steps into adulthood on their own.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.