Mom..It's time to cut the apron strings!

[MushyMushy]

I can kinda sorta somewhat almost understand the mentality of moms who can't let go, but what about the kids? I never knew anyone who wanted mom or dad hovering around all the time -- so why are they so passively tolerating it?

 

[kellyg403]

Having hired teens for a long time, most for their first jobs the kid with their mom/dad in tow to answer interview questions rarely gets hired. Thier actions speak volumes about what is to come. I usually remind the kids during the interview that I do believe that school should come first, but I also have a business to run. We can easily work any situation out together, afterschool activities, taking them off the schedule during exams or sometimes less days altogether until they learn to go to school and work. It has also been my experience that most of these kids use work as an excuse, I have to work tonight and then hang out with friends. Then mom comes in wondering why Johnny has a paycheck for 5 hours when she dropped him off at work 3 nights that week.

I don't really talk to the parents whose children have been hired. I don't speak to my children's managers. Let the kids go, they have to learn how to work and survive the workplace. When to step up and defend themselves, when to ask for help, when to work hard/play little. These parents that feel like they need to do everything for Johnny need to come in and interview for the job, work, and hand the paycheck over to Johnny. Its the only way its going to work out for little Johnny.

Kelly

 

[swanmom]

It's her son! What did she do go after him with a ruler?

That's right! And remember, this is the Mom who was coming his hair in the waiting room. Apparently, she does ALL his grooming!

 

[golfgal]

I used to conduct admissions interviews at a major competitve East Coast university. One day, as I walked down the hall to return to my office, I walked past a Mom and son siting in our reception room waiting to see me. (They'd never met me so they didn't know who I was.) I almost lost it when I realized that she was combing his hair for him !!! I don't mean fixing a stray curl. I mean taking a large brush to his whole head. OK. That was strange enough for me to hang around for a minute to observe what happened next. He did not chase her, tell her to stop, swat her hand away, nothing, nada........just sat there passively. That should have been enough of a clue, right? But no, apparently you do have to hit me on the head with a brick. During the information session, the son said nothing but the Mom had a series of totally unbelievable comments/questions. These were my two favorites: "Who will be the one who calls the dorm in the morning to be sure he makes it to class if he has trouble getting out of bed?" and "He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy." I kid you not.

HOW DOES SHE KNOW THAT???? Sorry but there are just some things parents have no business knowing and that would be right near the top of the list!!

My mom had to call in sick for me once but I was in the ER with a burst ovarian cyst and not really up to talking on the phone. I sort of called in sick for DH once. He had been home for a couple days with the influenza and his boss called to see how he was doing. He was sleeping at the time and I told his boss he probably wouldn't be in for the rest of the week--does that count? We were/are very good friends with his old boss so it was more of a friendly concern for someone who had NEVER taken a sick day in 10 years of working there and now was gone for an entire week.

DS15 wanted a job last winter but since he was only 14 no one would hire him, which I figured. I did drive him to the various places since he couldn't drive but I certainly did NOT get out of the car. In our old town the grocery store hired a lot of 14 year olds to fill in at busy times like around 5-6 PM when everyone was shopping after work so he thought he could do the same here.

 

[4greatboys]

I used to conduct admissions interviews at a major competitve East Coast university. One day, as I walked down the hall to return to my office, I walked past a Mom and son siting in our reception room waiting to see me. (They'd never met me so they didn't know who I was.) I almost lost it when I realized that she was combing his hair for him !!! I don't mean fixing a stray curl. I mean taking a large brush to his whole head. OK. That was strange enough for me to hang around for a minute to observe what happened next. He did not chase her, tell her to stop, swat her hand away, nothing, nada........just sat there passively. That should have been enough of a clue, right? But no, apparently you do have to hit me on the head with a brick. During the information session, the son said nothing but the Mom had a series of totally unbelievable comments/questions. These were my two favorites: "Who will be the one who calls the dorm in the morning to be sure he makes it to class if he has trouble getting out of bed?" and "He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy." I kid you not.

Okay the last part made me want to hurl. That mom should have no idea how well endowed her son is (where is that vomit smilie when you need it!).

My 2 oldest are 17 and 20 and its been years, YEARS! since I have seen them naked.

 

[Camicar]

So how do you guys feel about an underage employee having mom call-in sick for them?

My mother did that once for me when I had a stomach influenza and I was too weak to get to the phone. In those days, our one phone was screwed into the kitchen wall and I was too weak to walk from my bed to the kitchen. I was also so sick that if I moved my head off of the flat surface of the bed, I vomited. Again. My boss reamed me out for having my mother call. Honestly, I felt that was ridiculous in that case. She also insisted I come into work even though the doctor said I was still contagious. Kicker -- I worked in a grocery store, so I would have been handling FOOD while contagious with a stomach virus that was sending people to the hospital and from which the elderly and fragile were dying. It was all over the news. She knew this and point blank told my mother that she could care less about so-called germs bec she wasn't sure she believed in them.

 

[autumnbaby9]

My mother did that once for me when I had a stomach influenza and I was too weak to get to the phone. In those days, our one phone was screwed into the kitchen wall and I was too weak to walk from my bed to the kitchen. I was also so sick that if I moved my head off of the flat surface of the bed, I vomited. Again. My boss reamed me out for having my mother call. Honestly, I felt that was ridiculous in that case. She also insisted I come into work even though the doctor said I was still contagious. Kicker -- I worked in a grocery store, so I would have been handling FOOD while contagious with a stomach virus that was sending people to the hospital and from which the elderly and fragile were dying. It was all over the news. She knew this and point blank told my mother that she could care less about so-called germs bec she wasn't sure she believed in them.

 

[CheshireVal]

My mother did that once for me when I had a stomach influenza and I was too weak to get to the phone. In those days, our one phone was screwed into the kitchen wall and I was too weak to walk from my bed to the kitchen. I was also so sick that if I moved my head off of the flat surface of the bed, I vomited. Again. My boss reamed me out for having my mother call. Honestly, I felt that was ridiculous in that case.

I had my husband call in sick to work for me last year when I had a similar stomach virus. I literally couldn't move or talk without puking. I have no idea what my boss thought about that, but I was just too sick to do it!

 

[Traveliz]

I called in once for my daughter- she worked at a dance studio (and was paid) and was due to go in about 3:30. Around 2 she decided to get something to eat and shortly before she was ready to leave she got very sick - like can't leave the bathroom sick.

Seemed silly to risk her vomiting over the phone just to make a call.

The studio owner was fine with me calling.

Liz

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Another OT, but I just saw your pickle -- the MushyMushy shake!

I'm glad you like it! Watch me shake my groove thang!

Okay- the Mom who had the kid with the super size peeps is creepy. The kid is creepy because at 18 he was not embarrassed/mortified that his Mom even said such a thing!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I can kinda sorta somewhat almost understand the mentality of moms who can't let go, but what about the kids? I never knew anyone who wanted mom or dad hovering around all the time -- so why are they so passively tolerating it?

Amen!!!!
If my parents came with me and discussed my private parts I would not need to worry about college admission because I would have died of an anyeurism (sp?) immediately. When I went to college my parents did not attend any admissions tests/audtions/interviews etc. Heck I even filled out my own forms! (gasp!) These kids need to get with it. I am super protective of my kids but I am raising them to be independent. That is the whole point of being a parent!

 

[Mono~rail]

I used to conduct admissions interviews at a major competitve East Coast university. One day, as I walked down the hall to return to my office, I walked past a Mom and son siting in our reception room waiting to see me. (They'd never met me so they didn't know who I was.) I almost lost it when I realized that she was combing his hair for him !!! I don't mean fixing a stray curl. I mean taking a large brush to his whole head. OK. That was strange enough for me to hang around for a minute to observe what happened next. He did not chase her, tell her to stop, swat her hand away, nothing, nada........just sat there passively. That should have been enough of a clue, right? But no, apparently you do have to hit me on the head with a brick. During the information session, the son said nothing but the Mom had a series of totally unbelievable comments/questions. These were my two favorites: "Who will be the one who calls the dorm in the morning to be sure he makes it to class if he has trouble getting out of bed?" and "He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy." I kid you not.

That's just ----->

I wonder if she's cut the umbilical cord yet.

 

[Camicar]

"He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy."

I swear, I knew this boy in college! He was dating my roommate and I just couldn't stand him. Total jerk. The day I moved out was the day I overheard a huge argument they were having about his refusal to wear condoms. 26 years later, I can still hear him screaming, "I can't wear a condom because I'm so well endowed that no condom fits me!"

 

[swanmom]

Camicar,
The only problem is that HE never said a word. It was his MOTHER who made that statement - in front of him and a group of about 20 perspective students and parents !! That said, it's probably unlikely that this kid would ever get to the point of a relationship with a woman his own age. (And if by some strange series of events, he did meet a woman, his mother would probably barge into the local pharmacy and tell them that her son needed specially custom-made 'sleeves.')

 

[akhenaten]

I guess I just believe that if you are old enough to work then you are old enough to go in and get your own job, on your own.

you are so right!!!!!!

 

[Camicar]

And if by some strange series of events, he did meet a woman, his mother would probably barge into the local pharmacy and tell them that her son needed specially custom-made 'sleeves.

I can see the wedding day.
Minister: "Who gives this man to this woman?"
Mom: "We give this man and his big endowment to the lucky woman."

 

[welovedisneyx4]

This thread has made me remember a helicopter mom from many (many) years ago.

I took dance lessons while I was growing up and as we got older, I am guessing 6th grade and above, most of the girls would change into their leotards in the dressing room at the studio. Well, this girl and her mother would both be in there w/ the mother dressing the daughter like you would do w/ a 3 year old!!!!!! There was nothing wrong w/ this girl what so ever, and she didn't seem to mind. Luckily no one ever made fun of her, (I guess we were all too polite.) but we all thought it was really weird!!!!!!

 

[Jaclynfett]

My mom was a hovering parent and it got worse as I got older. It got worse and I ended up moving 800 miles away,lol.
She has an OCD personality so I think she needed to feel in control.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I used to conduct admissions interviews at a major competitve East Coast university. One day, as I walked down the hall to return to my office, I walked past a Mom and son siting in our reception room waiting to see me. (They'd never met me so they didn't know who I was.) I almost lost it when I realized that she was combing his hair for him !!! I don't mean fixing a stray curl. I mean taking a large brush to his whole head. OK. That was strange enough for me to hang around for a minute to observe what happened next. He did not chase her, tell her to stop, swat her hand away, nothing, nada........just sat there passively. That should have been enough of a clue, right? But no, apparently you do have to hit me on the head with a brick. During the information session, the son said nothing but the Mom had a series of totally unbelievable comments/questions. These were my two favorites: "Who will be the one who calls the dorm in the morning to be sure he makes it to class if he has trouble getting out of bed?" and "He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy." I kid you not.

There are just some things your parents should never know. And those things usually coincide with things you, as a parent, should not be announcing to a bunch of your child's potential classmates.


I had my mom call me out sick once. But I had a terrible stomach virus, was delusional with a fever, and passed out on the couch. The managers knew me and my mom and they knew that she was no helicopter parent and that I must have been truly sick.

 

[NewJersey]

I used to conduct admissions interviews at a major competitve East Coast university. One day, as I walked down the hall to return to my office, I walked past a Mom and son siting in our reception room waiting to see me. (They'd never met me so they didn't know who I was.) I almost lost it when I realized that she was combing his hair for him !!! I don't mean fixing a stray curl. I mean taking a large brush to his whole head. OK. That was strange enough for me to hang around for a minute to observe what happened next. He did not chase her, tell her to stop, swat her hand away, nothing, nada........just sat there passively. That should have been enough of a clue, right? But no, apparently you do have to hit me on the head with a brick. During the information session, the son said nothing but the Mom had a series of totally unbelievable comments/questions. These were my two favorites: "Who will be the one who calls the dorm in the morning to be sure he makes it to class if he has trouble getting out of bed?" and "He'll need a room with a private bath because he is so extremely well endowed that he will have problems with the other boys due to jealousy." I kid you not.

Holy crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!