Are we open to women with children?

Cane94G8r97 · #1 09-25-2007, 05:51 PM

I had a pledge sister who was a single mom. She had gotten married and divorced very early in life and went to college a little later than the rest of us did. She had the MOST ADORABLE 3 year old daughter! SHe never brought her to any chapter meetings, parties or rituals. She very much tried to keep both sides of her life seperate. In fact, there were times when we said, please brign your daughter to such xyz function, its at a park and she will have fun or we are all going bowling, we think your daughter will have a blast. THe mom (sister) ended up being an incredible active member and took on various leadership roles throughout her time in college.

Now 15 years later, the daughter pledged ZTA! I can tell you that many of us from our pledge class lived and breathed the daughter's recruitment until we received the call that she had received (and accepted) a bid. Here is the touch question... is it dirty rushing if the daughter was only 3 at the time?

So, yes, I do believe that Greek organizations can be open to having moms as traditional collegiate member is the college and/or chapter environment is accepting as well as the member being accepting of the college/chapter atmosphere. It is definitley a 2 way street!

AOII Angel · #2 09-25-2007, 06:15 PM

We didn't have any non-traditional students in my chapter...it was not common for the campus either. I only know of one Phi Mu who stayed active once getting married the year after she pledged. I only knew about this because her mother was an active AOII alum. We didn't really keep up too closely to the happenings in other chapters! One member of another chapter (which I will not name) did raise a few eyebrows. She was the mother of two and an older student who had gotten married when her boyfriend shipped out for the first gulf war (this was when i was in high school so when she pledged during my junior or senior year, she was quite a bit older than the other sorority women on campus.) Her age was not the factor that raised eyebrows. Her parents were raising her children while she kicked up her heels in college a hundred miles away. Sorry...I can't understand choosing to have a sorority experience over raising your own children.

AlphaFrog · #3 09-25-2007, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Her parents were raising her children while she kicked up her heels in college a hundred miles away. Sorry...I can't understand choosing to have a sorority experience over raising your own children.

If she's that immature, it might be for the best. Look at Britney...she's rasing her own kids, but I wouldn't call her a better parent because of it.

AOII Angel · #4 09-25-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

If she's that immature, it might be for the best. Look at Britney...she's rasing her own kids, but I wouldn't call her a better parent because of it.

Is Britney raising her kids? I thought her nannies were raising them! As much as she's been covering every tabloid lately, there is no way she is spending any quality time with them.

sageofages · #5 09-25-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cane94G8r97

Now 15 years later, the daughter pledged ZTA! I can tell you that many of us from our pledge class lived and breathed the daughter's recruitment until we received the call that she had received (and accepted) a bid. Here is the touch question... is it dirty rushing if the daughter was only 3 at the time?

So, yes, I do believe that Greek organizations can be open to having moms as traditional collegiate member is the college and/or chapter environment is accepting as well as the member being accepting of the college/chapter atmosphere. It is definitley a 2 way street!

I don't think it is dirty rushing....remember I tell all my "sisters"....an effective rush *begins* at home! I rush my daughters, I rush my nieces, I rush my cousins (who are all younger than me), I rush my neighbors, I rush teens at my church. I tell them all "Go Greek for sure, and if you can go Phi Mu"

I am careful when it is during recruitment and they are actually making their choices to avoid any problems.

When my youngest daughter was in Middle School, we would stop by any Phi Mu house along our way for a tour. One time we took a peek at the new floor being laid at the Purdue U chapter. I said "hopefully, one day you might live here" She said "what if they don't want me" I said "their loss then, you will find the right place, we can hope it is with Phi Mu". She is in her second year of nursing school (no greeks there) and when she finishes with her BSN, I will nominate her for AI as well.

chitownxo · #6 09-25-2007, 07:11 PM

This happened in my chapter, with a little bit of a twist. We knew she was older than the rest of the sisters, but that never was a major issue. She made every event, was very involved, and was just a terrific new member. You'd never know she had two kids living with her...because she never told us. We didn't find out until the fall after she became an active, and it was never a big deal to most of us. Some people think she should have mentioned it, but the majority believed it was her business. I think she was afraid that if she mentioned the kids, she wouldn't have received a bid. I like to think we would have still given her a bid had we known about the kids.