Move Over Heli-Parents, We Now Have Snowplow-Parents

[navane]

I don't think it's about the children. I think parents are subconsciously making this about themselves. It's not necessarily that they want junior to have everything, it's that *they* want to *be* everything. In other words, I think people are trying to win at the parenting game regardless of what that means for their children in the end. Does that make sense?

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by navane

I don't think it's about the children. I think parents are subconsciously making this about themselves. It's not necessarily that they want junior to have everything, it's that *they* want to *be* everything. In other words, I think people are trying to win at the parenting game regardless of what that means for their children in the end. Does that make sense?

You hit the nail on the head.

My parents had a life script for me. My in-laws had a life script for my husband. (We didn't follow either.)

Part of my parents' life script for me was to go to an Ivy+ school. (I chose MIT.) But did my parents clear a path for me? Hell no. I fought every inch of the way. My parents didn't so much as hire an SAT tutor for me (and I still got an enviable SAT score).

It didn't even cross my mind, EVER, to ask them to call my professors or my supervisors to negotiate a better grade or a raise.

I don't get it. I honestly don't get it. I honestly don't get the "Mommy/Daddy, help me get this job / turn this C into an A / get me into Ivy+UThatICantQualifyForOnMyOwn" thing.