When snowflake children grow up they become "teacups." Who knew?!

[Ember]

My husband is finishing up his PhD and we were out with several of the people from the university yesterday. Somehow the term "snowflake children" came up and I explained what it meant. I guess the university has it's own term and calls these children "teacups." Teacups are apparently so fragile that they break at the first hint of stress. The term was used in a magazine (not sure which one) and caught on from there.

I also got to hear any number of horror stories of helicopter parenting at the university level! My favorite was a third year medical student who had his mom attend his plagiarism hearing instead of her kid, who stayed home because he was scared.

Anyway, this may be old news to everyone else, but it was the first I had heard of it.

 

[ChristaDeVil]

Well, I know a lady who went on job interviews with her child (who had graduated college two years before) and waited in the car or in the waiting area so "she wouldn't have to go through it alone". "Teacup" is now a permanent part of my vocabulary. Thanks!

 

[minkydog]

Teacups! I love it! I have seen many adults like this over the years and never knew what to call them(other than babies, weinies, or wimps--but only in my mind, never to their face. I have been known to roll my eyes, however )

 

[4nana]

Say it isn't so ~ helicopter parents raising snowflakes, who mature into teacups?!?! Who knew, I owe it all to the Dis!?

 

[stevenpensacola]

be nice, or I'll tell my mommy on you....

 

[LaurenLC]

My husband is a university professor.... Every year he has at least one parent email, call or stop by to debate their child's grade.

 

[scottishduffy]

Yeah, I had heard that term before. I have a couple favorite stories.

1) A girl I shared a class with in college. It was a large class and we had just gotten our test grades back. Class was over and people were generally chatting with the professor and asking questions about the test... This girl comes up to the professor in tears with her cell phone up to her ear. When she gets to the professor she hands him her phone and I can hear "Mom! You talk to him!" The professor takes the phone, asks if it was her mother and what the call is about before talking into the phone. The girl says it is her Mom who wants to talk to him about her failing grade on the test. The professor hung up the phone and told the girl he would only talk to her. Cue more tears and an irate Mom calling right back. Girl is now sobbing "Mom! He won't listen!! Can we call the dean?" Professor just walked away....


2) My mom had an employee (young girl about 25) bring her mom to disciplinary hearing. Didn't work out well....

 

[lovesmurfs]

There was a really interesting study (2006) about the "me" generation of college students:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17349066/

 

[DisMN]

Say it isn't so ~ helicopter parents raising snowflakes, who mature into teacups?!?! Who knew, I owe it all to the Dis!?

 

[MiniGirl]

Let me just say that I would have been MORTIFIED if my mom did some (okay, any) of the things mentioned in these posts..

Actually, I have heard the term teacups used for these young adults. I find many of the stories associated with them to be both sad and funny.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

It's funny, too, because a lot of times the Professors are only looking to see if you'll stand up for yourself.

When I was in College I had a Professor reschedule a mid-term exam on a day that I was leaving for a very large Family Reunion-Type Spring Break. We had scheduled it specifically because I would not have any exams that day. Obviously I went to explain the situation and I got the whole, "Class is in still in session for that day, so I'm not sure why you scheduled anything." He then made mention of my parents would most likely be calling. I was the one in college, not them, so I didn't even give him the satisfaction of that happening. Instead, it turns out, the Baseball team was also going to miss that exam so he made an exam strictly for them and me. It was IMPOSSIBLE! I mean the worst test you could ever imagine. I didn't complain, and I took my medicine (ended up getting a 28% on the exam! )

In the end, though, he was impressed that I fought my own battle, and, since I was normally a 95%-100% student he said that if I got a 90% or better on all the remaining exams for the Semester we'd forget about the mid-term. We both held up our end of the bargain, and I learned a lot about being mature and fighting your own battle, and, how that kind of maturity is respected by your superiors.

 

[Jeafl]

I teach special ed and I am well aware of helcopters, teacups and snowflakes.

I just wanted to say though, LaurenLC--your daughter is absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Tiggerish]

Say it isn't so ~ helicopter parents raising snowflakes, who mature into teacups?!?! Who knew, I owe it all to the Dis!?

Actually, I don't think they "mature" into teacups. I think they just age into it.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I am so glad to say that the only time my parents knew what street to enter my University's guest parking lot was on the day of my graduation.

 

[dislaney]

Helicopters, teacups and snowflakes - I had heard all these terms except the teacups! I wish I hadn't ever heard of any of them!!

 

[LMC]

I teach special ed and I am well aware of helcopters, teacups and snowflakes.

As the parent of a special needs child with an IEP I'm not sure what you are implying about parents of special needs kids. I don't stay up the noses of the school district and we are now in the process of trying resolution for my child and just may go to a hearing so maybe there is a reason some parents feel the need to "helicopter". I would much rather be doing something else with my time right now that these meetings!

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I manage a summer volunteer program for teens aged 14 and up at a hospital. I try to encourage the students to come to me with problems instead of sending their parents to do the work for them. Do you know how many parents I have calling and coming by my office to ask questions FOR THEIR CHILD? At our annual Orientation session, I had parents asking questions about and for their children who were sitting next to them, like they weren't even in the room? I can understand (maybe) for the 14 year olds, but seniors in high school should be able to call me and ask where to go to pick up a uniform. Even better than that, I had a lady call last week, asking all these questions about volunteering. I asked how old her child was....22. She was a college graduate.

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I teach special ed and I am well aware of helcopters, teacups and snowflakes.

As the parent of a special needs child with an IEP I'm not sure what you are implying about parents of special needs kids. I don't stay up the noses of the school district and we are now in the process of trying resolution for my child and just may go to a hearing so maybe there is a reason some parents feel the need to "helicopter". I would much rather be doing something else with my time right now that these meetings!

I agree. I also have a child with an IEP, and the meetings were brutal. I refuse to stay in the counselor and teacher's doors constantly. They keep me updated, and if I need to ask a question, I ask it. I refuse to helicopter, but I could see that with special needs, it is sometimes needed.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Last month, my co-worker took a day off to take her daughter to register at college. The girl is certainly not a teacup, and the mom is not a helicopter parent. But I was talking to my mom and recalling that my parents never even set foot on my campus until my graduation. I went to a state university and lived at home. When it came time to register, choose classes, etc. I went by myself. My parents just wrote the checks. I went before classes started to scope out parking and figure out where my classes were and my boyfriend (now DH) went with me. He came to the campus a few times to have lunch with me when he was on school breaks. But my parents didn't get involved. It was fine with me. I was proud of myself for figuring everything out on my own, deciding what classes to take, etc. It made me more independent and able to handle things on my own. I am definitely not a teacup!!!!

 

[Myothername]

I know a lady whose children lived on campus but she took off work every day to drive them to class so they would not have to hunt for a parking spot. The oldest has just found a decent job and she is 28. Youngest going off for grad school. We will see if mom has to drive up there every day to help her too.