Fresh Loaf

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had an interesting article today on parents who micromanage their children’s lives — even after they graduate from college. The article noted:

You might be a “helicopter parent” [super-involved parents of children born between 1982 and 2002] if you …

• Drive your son or daughter to a job interview, then try to sit in on it.
• Reschedule or set up interviews, or inquire about benefits or why your child didn’t get the job.
• Show up at any of your son’s or daughter’s student- or job-related events.
• Camp out in your son’s or daughter’s dorm room during student orientation week.
• Accompany your child to the registrar’s office and select his or her classes.
• Wind up arguing with the registrar about why your daughter can’t take an 8 a.m. economics class.

It’s a bit extreme, but a totally legitimate concern. CL has written about how the self-esteem that’s seemingly made young people more confident and ambitious has crossed over into entitlement. They expect much of life to be handed to them on a silver platter.

But this article suggests it’s not entirely the children’s fault. Instead, the parents teach children to expect certain jobs and lifestyles. And that might create a generation of young adults who aren’t that independent — and increasingly unhappy because they have unrealistic expectations.

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Tags: Entitlement.