For the parents

AOIIalum · #1 06-12-2008, 01:35 PM

I have all boys, so like srmom I probably have a different perspective than if I had girls. I very much want them to at least think about rushing, as I believe that GLO membership is a good thing. Then again, I'm clearly biased! My husband was not greek, neither were our Fathers, so there isn't a legacy tradition there for them.

My oldest will be off to college somewhere in Fall 2009, and he's already made it very clear to me that he will not join a Fraternity. Period, he doesn't care about the benefits or experiences associated with membership. I'm hoping that he keeps an open mind and once he gets to college he'll see it isn't all parties, but in the end I doubt he'll pledge. I wish he would, but am not holding my breath.

Who knows about the next two, who will be off to college in Fall 2010 and Fall 2014. Like the oldest, I hope they'll each keep an open mind about Fraternity membership. It wouldn't surprise me if either or both rushed and joined, but we'll see when the time comes.

ForeverRoses · #2 06-12-2008, 02:23 PM

I also have all boys, and my husband was in a co-ed business fraternity, but not a social fraternity.

I have mixed feelings about my boys joining a fraternity. I would love for them to have the friendships and bonds that a fraternity brings, but no way do I want them to be hazed (my definition of hazing is not necessarily the same as the official definition). My oldest son's godfather is a Phi Kappa Tau and already talks about the day my son pledges.

I do want them to go find a nice AOII girl to get married to, though!

AOIIalum · #3 07-05-2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

I do want them to go find a nice AOII girl to get married to, though!

Oh, I'd be in heaven if just one of mine found a nice AOII girl to marry one day!

Another perspective: I was at a cookout yesterday and ran into a sorority sister with her family. While we were chatting, she mentioned that she had some formal pictures from college framed around the house, and her girls love looking at them. They asked if they could be "in mommy's club" in college and wanted to know if they could have parties if they joined! Mind you, they are 7 & 9 years old! She said she told them that maybe they could join if they wanted to, but they didn't have to pick the same one. I have to say I'm impressed, because I'm sure if I'd had girls I would have been one of those "Join AOII" moms!

The girls also asked if their daddy was in "the AOII" and if their little brother could join too, but she explained that AOII was only for girls! Too cute!

DGTess · #4 07-06-2008, 05:41 PM

When my daughter chose UT, I started looking at what it would take for her to rush. She had seen me involved in DG everywhere we lived (spouse and I were both military) and I expected she'd be interested.

Showed her the rush book, and neither she nor I gave it another thought. I realized my experiences were very different from this large, southern, state school, and she didn't even want to consider visiting 16 houses in one day.

To this day neither of us regrets.

I did contact the chapter when she was a soph, to see if they did COB, and got a terse response that didn't show any concern, so wasn't a bit interested further.

My experiences were special, but not something I'd expect daughter to share elsewhere.